‘Maybe, we aren’t needed now’: Former BJP MP from Mandi Maheshwar voices dissent on ticket to actress Kangana Ranaut
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The Newz Radar
MANDI: Former BJP MP Maheshwar Singh has voiced his discontent over the selection of Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut as the candidate for the Mandi Lok Sabha seat in Himachal Pradesh.
Expressing his sentiments, Maheshwar Singh also echoed the sentiments of former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar, indicating a shift in the party’s ideology.
Maheshwar Singh, a senior BJP leader from Kullu who has remained the Mandi MP twice in 1998 and 1999, acknowledged the decision of the party’s top leadership to field Kangana from the Mandi parliamentary constituency. While congratulating Kangana on her candidacy, Maheshwar Singh emphasised the presence of eminent scholars, intellectuals and experienced individuals within the central leadership of the BJP.
“The BJP earlier was a small party. Now, the party is big. Maybe now the party doesn’t even need our support…. Time has changed. The party conducts several surveys and only those candidates who are found good in surveys are given ticket. We have no grudges. We will not oppose anything. If the party asks us, we will even come forward for election campaign,” he was quoted as saying by a national media house.
He highlighted the comprehensive evaluation process undertaken by the party, including surveys, which presumably led to the selection of Kangana as the candidate. He suggested that Kangana may have garnered favourable results in these surveys, potentially placing her ahead of other contenders for the nomination.
Supporting the stance of senior BJP leader and former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar, Maheshwar Singh noted a shift in the party’s approach towards candidate selection, indicating a departure from traditional practices. He acknowledged the evolution of the party structure, attributing it to an expanded party base and increased reliance on data-driven decision-making processes.
Maheshwar Singh reiterated his commitment to the party’s directives, stating that there were no grievances regarding the decision. He emphasised the willingness to cooperate with the party’s election campaign if called upon, underlining the possibility that the party may not even require their support given the circumstances.
