Smriti Irani is the giant killer of this Lok Sabha election who vanquished Congress President Rahul Gandhi. An articulate face of the BJP and a go-getter, she has emerged as a troubleshooter for the ruling party.

An actor-turned-politician, Irani has been one of the more visible faces of the Modi government and has often been called upon to articulate the Bharatiya Janata Party's point of view.

She managed the Amethi feat by remaining in touch with the electorate there, despite losing the election five years ago, and worked to bring development projects to the constituency when Narendra Modi was the Prime Minister.

Irani's induction in the union cabinet in 2014 and the Human Resource Development portfolio she bagged created a buzz. She later moved to the Textiles Ministry. In between, she was also given the Information and Broadcasting portfolio.

The Congress attack on her over her educational qualifications did not impact her electoral fortunes.

Born on March 23, 1976, Irani is a former model who became a household name after her role as Tulsi Virani in the iconic TV show "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi".

When she moved to Mumbai, she briefly worked at a McDonald's outlet to support herself while auditioning for work in showbiz.

She first became a member of the Rajya Sabha in 2011 and has also headed the BJP Mahila Morcha.

First Published:May 30, 2019 9:30 PM IST