In Mandi, a locale nestled in Himachal Pradesh, the BJP contender for the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency, Kangana Ranaut, extended gratitude to the denizens of Mandi for her inaugural foray into the electoral arena. As she formally submitted her candidature for the Lok Sabha seat, she was accompanied by her maternal figure and sibling. Kangana expressed acknowledgment towards the Mandi populace for propelling her into this political voyage, highlighting her aspiration to establish a notable presence akin to her achievements in the cinematic realm.
“The inhabitants of Mandi, with their profound affection, have propelled me towards this juncture. Women across our nation are etching their eminence across various domains, notwithstanding the prior prevalence of feticide incidents in Mandi. Presently, women from Mandi are steadfastly contributing to the armed forces, academia, and political echelons,” articulated Kangana. When probed about her views on the Congress, she lamented, “The Congress party’s propensity towards anti-national sentiments is a subject of national trepidation…”
Accompanying Kangana, her mother, Asha Ranaut, asserted, “The public has rallied behind Kangana earnestly. Our victory is inevitable. Kangana has rendered considerable service to the populace, a commitment she intends to uphold steadfastly in the future…” Concurring with her sentiments, Kangana’s sibling, Rangoli Ranaut, who stood alongside her during the nomination filing, conveyed, “I extend my heartfelt felicitations on this nascent journey of hers. The outpouring of support from the populace is palpable in the surrounding throng…”
Following the formalities of filing her nomination, Kangana articulated, “Today marks the submission of my candidacy for the Mandi LS constituency. It is an occasion imbued with pride for me, being bestowed with the opportunity to vie for representation from Mandi… My strides in Bollywood have been triumphant, and I remain sanguine about replicating this success in the realm of politics.”
The decision to field Kangana from Mandi, historically aligned with the ruling Congress in the state, imbues the impending Lok Sabha elections with an air of intrigue. In her maiden endeavor to secure a berth in the Lower House, she confronts a formidable adversary in the guise of Vikramaditya Singh, scion of the late former chief minister, Virbhadra Singh.
The electoral landscape of Himachal Pradesh, slated for June 1st, not only witnesses contenders vying for parliamentary representation across four constituencies but also entails the election of members for six assembly seats, rendered vacant due to the resignation and defection of dissident Congress legislators. The BJP, which clinched victory in all four Lok Sabha constituencies in the preceding 2019 elections, harbors aspirations for an encore performance this time around.
The Mandi constituency holds emblematic significance for the Congress, entrenched as a bastion of the Virbhadra dynasty. Currently held by Pratibha Devi Singh, the widow of the late leader, she wrested the seat for the Congress in a bye-election conducted subsequent to the demise of then-BJP MP Ram Swaroop Sharma.