Marking her first public appearance in Mandi town, Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut—BJP’s candidate for Mandi Parliamentary seat, admitted that it’s going to be a tough fight and asked the people of Mandi to make her win with a record victory margin.
“Don't let my nose get cut off” she made an emotional appeal. "Kangana should get a record lead from home. We all have to prove it to our opponents” she said at the meeting.
She spoke at full-throttle to announce a BJP hat-trick—winning all four seats in Himachal Pradesh as it did in 2014 and 2019 because Modi ji's target is 400-plus.
Arriving at BJP’s parliamentary constituency meeting, where she was introduced to the party office-bearers, MLAs and seniors, Kangana spoke in ‘Mandyali’ (local dialect) telling everyone to consider her as a daughter or sister.
"I feel honoured to be chosen to contest the Mandi Parliamentary constituency. It’s my janmabhoomi –where everyone is my family or relative. I will not leave any stone unturned to work and serve you,” she assured amidst chants of Modi ji ko Jai Sri Ram.
Kangana added that the party wanted her to contest from UP but she told Nadda ji to field her from Mandi-- "my janmabhoomi" hence in her address she said she deserved a thumping victory.
A day before, the Bollywood actress said at a meeting,"PM Modi is the incarnation of Ram and I am like a squirrel building a bridge. Just as the squirrel had worked in building the bridge, she too is working in the same way”.
Flanked by former Chief Minister Jairam Thakur and state BJP president Rajeev Bindal, Kangana—dressed in a pista green sari and adorning pearls, saffron scarf around her neck and Himachali topi, was indeed a cynosure of all eyes at the meeting. The party leaders broke the security cordon to get photographed with her and took selfies. She also obliged everyone as she walked around, also in the public.
Heading to Indira Market—a commercial hub in the town, Kangana served “Mano Tea” at a specially set-up ManoTea stall to attract the public. She also sat with seniors and shared pleasantries.
“It was my first meeting with the party leaders where I was formally introduced to everyone. We are also working out strategy a for the election campaign with Thakur ji (Jairam Thakur)’s support,” she told media persons.
Thakur ensured she spoke less, and only for the purpose of the meeting. "No individual interviews/bites, please!" he declared.
Referring to Supriya Shrinate's comments, Kangana said “much has been said already in my reaction earlier.”
On Rahul Gandhi’s remarks about democracy under threat, she said, "if so, why these elections. It is of course an act of strengthening democracy."
The meeting, however, had some disappointments as some of the party seniors including former MP Maheshwar Singh, a scion of Kullu royalty, maintained distance from the meeting.
Singh is quite upset over the denial of ticket as he himself was an aspirant, having presented the constituency three times. Former minister Dr Ram Lal Markanda, who is also dissatisfied with the party over entry of Ravi Thakur, a disqualified Congress MLA, to the party for bypoll at Lahaul-Spiti, also stayed away.
Ravi Thakur was seen at the meeting beside Mandi MLA Anil Sharma---a former minister.
Brigadier Khushal Thakur—a Kargil war hero, who was the BJP candidate against PCC president Pratibha Singh during Lok Sabha by-election in 2021 extended his support to Kangana and also attended the meeting.
Knowing that rebellion in the party could make the going tough for Kangana—BJP’s first woman candidate in Lok Sabha polls in Himachal Pradesh, Jairam Thakur has been assigned the task of holding talks with all dissidents and preparing grounds for Kangana’s impressive victory in Mandi.
Jairam Thakur also drove to Samirpur --home town of former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal on Sunday to seek his blessings and support.
In Mandi, Kangana went around different temples in the town to pay his obeisance along with Jairam Thakur and Rajeev Bindal.
The congress till now has not opened its cards to declare the name of the candidate facing the film star but there are strong chances of Pratibha Singh agreeing to contest. She is a three-time MP and wife of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.
In 2012, Pratibha Singh had won the seat – ahead of the state assembly poll.
On Monday, Pratibha Singh said that she has always followed the orders of the high command and will do so in the future as well. If the high command asks, she will take up the responsibility by entering the election fray.
Asked about Kangana giving her a suggestion to rest, she said “asking me to rest could be a suggestion of a BJP candidate. But we have to see what to do”
She claimed that Congress will soon announce its candidates on all four seats in the state. If the high command orders her, she will enter into the election fray and fulfil her responsibility. Along with the Lok Sabha elections, Congress will contest strongly in the by-elections to be held in the state.
