How Kangana’s victory raises ex-CM Jai Ram’s stature in Himachal politics
- Congress of Gandhi versus Congress of Rahul Gandhi: BJP’s Rekha Verma takes swipe over ‘mismanagement’ - November 4, 2024
- Scrap dealer staged shooting on himself, finds probe by Baddi SP - November 4, 2024
- Punjab driver killed in argument over parking in Manali - November 4, 2024
Royal scion Vikramaditya tastes first electoral defeat
MANDI: In a fiercely contested Himachal Pradesh Lok Sabha electoral battle in Mandi, Congress candidate Vikramaditya Singh managed to secure a lead of 45,293 votes across four of the 17 Assembly constituencies encompassing Lahaul-Spiti, Rampur, Aani and Kinnaur that are nearer to his home town Rampur, but that wasn’t enough to offset the substantial margin of 2,000 to over 14,000 votes by which BJP rival Kangana Ranaut led in the remaining segments.
The most surprising outcome was in Bharmour, where the BJP candidate achieved a lead of over 5,000 votes. Jogindernagar emerged as the constituency with the highest lead of 19,205 votes for the BJP, followed by over 16,000 in Mandi.
This surpassed Seraj, the home constituency of BJP leader and former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, where Kangana led by over 14,000 votes. In Kangana’s hometown Sarkaghat, she secured a promising lead of over 14,000 votes, followed by nearly 10,000 in Balh, 9,000 in Sundernagar, nearly 8,000 in Drang, 7,000 in Kullu, 6,000 in Karsog and 2,000 in Manali.
The victory in the lower parts of the constituency underscores the emotional attachment the people of Mandi have with Jai Ram Thakur, who maintains close ties with the community. Mandi is a BJP stronghold, with all nine MLAs from the district and three others from Kullu demonstrating unwavering loyalty and commitment to Jai Ram.
The voters in Mandi constituency seen to have cast their ballot for Jai Ram and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with debutant Kangana serving as the BJP’s candidate.
Bollywood actor Kangana gained national attention by challenging Maharashtra’s powerful political party Shiv Sena and after emerging victorious in a high-profile legal battle. The BJP backed her with extensive security during that period. She has remained in the spotlight for her bold tweets and social media posts on national issues, often surrounded by controversy.
Throughout her campaign, she was not allowed to speak to the local media, possibly to avoid controversial remarks. In contrast, Vikramaditya had a rich political legacy and was well-versed in state politics.
A two-term MLA who tasted his first electoral defeat, he had in-depth knowledge of the constituency, which his family has represented for over two decades. However, internal rifts between his family and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu worked against him.
His mother, the outgoing MP from Mandi, refused to contest the elections, citing a “lack of development” to present before voters. The perceived neglect by Sukhu towards Mandi also negatively impacted his campaign.
Kangana’s victory has bolstered Jai Ram’s reputation within the BJP. He was instrumental in her campaign and in mobilising his team of MLAs to secure her win, which has significantly strengthened his position in the party. For the moment, Jai Ram has for sure turned invincible in Himachal’s parliamentary politics, particularly in Mandi.
