Mandi constituency has favoured scions of erstwhile princely states since 1952
Shimla:
The stage is ready for a battle royale in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi Lok Sabha seat because the Congress on Saturday pitted state minister Vikramaditya Singh, the titular king of the erstwhile princely state of Bushahr, in opposition to BJP candidate and actor Kangana Ranaut.
Himachal Pradesh PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh is the son of six-time chief minister Virbhadra Singh and Pratibha Singh, the sitting MP from Mandi and the Congress’ state unit president.
Traditionally, the Mandi constituency has favoured scions of erstwhile princely states, electing royals in 13 out of 19 elections, together with two bypolls since 1952.
Vikramaditya Singh, the two-time MLA from the Shimla (rural) meeting phase, just isn’t new within the parliamentary constituency as his father and mom every gained the seat thrice. Within the 2021 Lok Sabha bypoll to the seat, Mr Singh had campaigned extensively for his mom.
Even earlier than his candidature was introduced, Vikramaditya Singh was concerned in a spat with the actor-politician of Bollywood movie ‘Queen’ fame with neither pulling any punches.
Final Thursday, Kangana Ranaut launched a blistering assault on Vikramaditya Singh and stated, “This isn’t the property of your father or grandfather that you’ll threaten me and ship me again.
The BJP candidate’s retaliation got here in response to Vikramaditya Singh’s jibe a couple of days earlier about her reported feedback over beef-eating.
“I pray to Lord Ram to present her knowledge and hope she goes again pure from ‘Dev Bhoomi’ Himachal to Bollywood as a result of she won’t win the elections as she is aware of nothing concerning the individuals of Himachal,” Mr Singh had stated.
She requested why he was not exhibiting proof of her consuming beef.
“I’ve made my identify within the movie trade with out the assistance of my father and mom… I wish to be part of politics and serve the individuals,” she stated and asserted that politics is an expression of service and anybody from a king to a beggar is entitled to that expression.
The components working in favour of Kangana Ranaut are former Himachal Pradesh chief minister and senior BJP chief Jai Ram Thakur’s maintain over Mandi and that the occasion has gained all of the 9 meeting segments below the parliament constituency.
BJP chief Khushal Thakur, a Kargil struggle hero who misplaced to Pratibha Singh by a margin of seven,490 votes in Lok Sabha bypolls held in November 2021, has rendered his help to Ms Ranaut. “There are over one lakh ex-servicemen on this Parliament constituency”, he had informed the PTI earlier.
Furthermore, BJP chief and the titular king of Kullu Maheshwar Singh, who earlier opposed Ms Ranaut’s candidature, has prolonged his help to her.
Of the 17 meeting segments below the Mandi Lok Sabha seat, eight are reserved for Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled castes.
Since 1952, the parliamentary seat has been represented by Raj Kumai Amrit Kaur of Kapurthala dynasty and Raja Joginder Sen Bahadur of the princely state of Mandi as soon as every, Raja Lalit Sen of Suket twice, Virbhadra Singh and his spouse Pratibha Singh thrice every and Maheshwar Singh thrice.
Three-time MP from Mandi and former Union minister Sukh Ram, two-time winner Ram Swaroop and Ganga Singh had been the exceptions and didn’t hail from royal households.
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is printed from a syndicated feed.)