BJP debutant Kangana surpasses Anurag in bashing of Gandhi-Nehru family in Lok Sabha elections

MANDI: BJP’s Mandi parliamentary constituency candidate and actor Kangana Ranaut appears to have replaced Union Minister Anurag Thakur, who is the Hamirpur nominee, in leading the charge from Himachal Pradesh’s saffron front against Congress rival Rahul Gandhi.

In fact, Kangana has emerged as a leader unafraid to directly attack Rahul, a former Congress president. Whether it’s her confidence, determination or fearlessness, one thing is clear: while most senior BJP leaders in the state avoid commenting on opposition figures, Kangana boldly targets Rahul and his family.

Earlier, Anurag was known for his outspoken tirade against Rahul and he would attack the former Congress president on every small issue. A local BJP leader said that as Kangana had risen in the film industry by challenging powerful figures, she was aiming to establish herself in politics by taking on the country’s most influential family.

Recently, Kangana mocked Rahul for struggling to wear a traditional Himachali cap during a public meeting in Nahan. She likened him to a “cartoon character” and said that “someone who couldn’t understand basic things should not be representing the country”. According to her, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi aspired to lead India, yet they lacked even the basic cultural understanding of the country.

Kangana has been frequently targeting first PM Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi in her speeches, making remarks that trouble the Congress. Recently, she claimed that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s father Motilal Nehru was akin to the Ambani of his time, questioning the source of his wealth and alleging his close ties with the British.

Ranaut also questioned how Jawaharlal Nehru became Prime Minister despite the majority support for Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. She argued that since then, the “termite” of dynastic rule had infected the country. Referring to Congress leaders Rahul and late Vikramaditya Singh, she said, “On one side, we have a government of ascetics (BJP), and on the other, a government of indulgent rulers (Congress) made up of small groups of princes, one in Delhi and another here in Himachal Pradesh.”

In response, the Congress filed a complaint with the Election Commission, accusing her of making derogatory remarks against senior party leaders and comparing freedom fighter Motilal Nehru to one of the country’s top industrialists.

A few days ago, Kangana called Congress a “disease left by the British” that had been eating the country like termites. She claimed that true freedom was realised when Modi became the Prime Minister in 2014, and not when India gained Independence in 1947. She also labelled former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi a “dictator” and accused her son Sanjay Gandhi of trying to implement “forced sterilisation” in India.

In an interview with a private channel, Kangana criticised Rahul saying he went to elite schools where he read about poverty in books, implying he lacked the real connection with India. She alleged that Rahul was a foreigner and would always remain one, making it impossible for Indians to connect with him. She said she knew many foreigners who beautifully adopted the Indian culture, unlike Rahul and Priyanka, whom she called “nepo kids” and considered unfit for politics.

Kangana also said that Rahul was over 50 years old yet was repeatedly relaunched as a youth leader. According to her, Rahul was under significant pressure from his mother Sonia to be in politics and he felt alone and unfit in the role.