Patna: Former Union minister, actor and "rebel" BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha did a Lalu Prasad on Wednesday when he called a senior politician " mausam vaigyanik" (meteorologist).

There was, however, a difference in the sense in which the term was used.

Lalu uses the term " mausam vaigyanik" for LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan, but he does so to attack the Union minister as an opportunist who knows which way the wind is blowing.

Shatrughan used the term to heap praise on Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee for correctly predicting the outcome of the Karnataka Assembly election.

Shotgun, as Shatrughan is popularly known, tweeted on Wednesday: "Our most favourite, real mass leader & a true "Mausam Vaigyanik" Mamta Banerjee had declared that neither Yeddyurappa nor Siddaramaiah (and/or SiddaRupaiya) would become CM. Only Kumaraswamy could would & should become CM of Karnataka..."

Giving reasons for Shatrughan coming out with such a tweet, one of his close aides told The Telegraph: "The Bengal chief minister had on Friday categorically said that H.D. Kumaraswamy was likely to be the next chief minister of Karnataka. The outcome of the Assembly election has proved her right and so our MP came up with this tweet."

In Bihar politics, " mausam vaigyanik" has so far only been used in a negative sense. Lalu has been using it for Paswan for the LJP chief's ability to be on the side of the political combination which is likely to be come to power.

Shatrughan's aide, however, clarified that the MP had used it to heap praise on Mamata for her ability to see the likely outcome of the election. "The term may be the same but one needs to see the intention," said the aide.

He clarified that Shatrughan and Mamata shared very cordial ties and keep on talking on issues concerning the country.

"I hold Mamata ji in very high esteem," Shatrughan told The Telegraph. "She is a mass leader and her prediction about the Karnataka outcome turned out to be perfect."

Shatrughan is scheduled to attend a wedding function in Darbhanga on Wednesday evening where he has been invited by suspended BJP MP Kirti Azad.