Last Updated: March 29, 2024, 17:14 IST
BJP candidate actor Kangana Ranaut addresses supporters during a roadshow ahead of Lok Sabha elections, in Mandi, March 29, 2024. (PTI Photo)
The actor, born in Mandi’s Bhambla town, began her rally with a roadshow and hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi with “Jai Shri Ram”. She emphasised that the BJP’s main agenda is development
Actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut on Friday said that the Congress is unable to accept her nomination from Mandi and is resorting in ‘cheap politics’. She made these remarks during her debut Lok Sabha election campaign in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh.
Referring to the recent controversy sparked by Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate’s comments about her, Ranaut remarked, “Congress’s top leader Rahul Gandhi talks about annihilating the shakti among the Hindus. Their spokesperson used condemnable words about the women of Mandi. The same Mandi which has been named after Rishi Mandavya, where Rishi Parashar sat in tapasya, the place which organises the biggest Shivratri fair every year. But what else can be expected of them.”
The actor, born in Mandi’s Bhambla town, began her rally with a roadshow and hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi with “Jai Shri Ram“. She emphasised that the BJP’s main agenda is development.
“Development is the BJP’s main agenda, and we will spare no effort to win the elections under the guidance of Prime Minister Modi,” she said, adding that the “people of Mandi will reveal what is in their hearts.” This was Ranaut’s first public appearance in her constituency after receiving the BJP ticket on March 24.
Currently, the Mandi Lok Sabha seat is held by Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee president Pratibha Singh, wife of former CM state Virbhadra Singh and mother of Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh. She won the 2021 Lok Sabha bypolls
Earlier on Wednesday, Singh had announced that she would not contest the Lok Sabha elections as the situation was “not favourable” and that workers were disheartened. However, after the announcement of Ranaut’s name, she has left the decision to contest to the Congress High Command.
The election for four Lok Sabha seats of Shimla, Mandi, Hamirpur, and Kangra will be conducted alongside by-elections in six assembly seats in the final phase on June 1. While the BJP has announced its candidates for the four Lok Sabha and six assembly seats, the Congress has not yet announced its candidates.
(With inputs from agencies)