Bollywood's item girl Rakhi Sawant, known for making headlines with bold statements, seems to have taken a fancy for politicians. After confessing she has a soft corner for Rahul Gandhi, she is now praising Raj Thackeray.

"I respect Raj-ji a lot. He is a very good man and his team is equally good. He is doing a great job... He is helping the poor. I always say that Raj-ji is like a brother to me, " the 33-year-old controversy queen said while attending a screening of "Don 2" along with cancer patients.

"Kehte hain na ki jab seedhi ungli se ghee nahin nikalta hai, toh ungli tedhi karni padti hai, aur koun nahin hai...And I don't find anything wrong in his conduct, " she added of Maharashtra Navnirman Samiti leader.

Asked if she will tie a rakhi to Raj, she replied: "If bhai (Raj) asks me to come, I will surely go. What is wrong in that? I always send him a rakhi."

But the actress has no plans to join politics.

"Not at all, I don't understand politics. I am an artist, a normal artist, a normal human being and I don't know anything about politics.

I don't think I should ever join that profession. We are artists and our work is to make people laugh. I have to do a lot of work, " said Rakhi, who had a dull 2011 except for TV show "Ghazab Desh Ki Ajab Kahaaniyan".

Rakhi was last seen in item numbers in films "Rakhtbeej" and "Loot".