Vikramaditya Singh, Himachal Pradesh cabinet minister and son of former CM Virbhadra Singh, said that the Congress will fight the upcoming Lok Sabha elections with full strength and the has been visiting the Mandi area, from where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Kangana Ranaut as its Lok Sabha candidate.
In a recent interview with AajTak, Singh also questioned Ranaut on what she did for the people in her constituency during the 2023 floods in the Himalayan regions. At least 19 people lost their lives due to floods in Mandi district. Portions of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand received up to 420mm rainfall in 24 hours.
"Congress will contest the elections with strength. I have been visiting Mandi area. I met people during the disaster. Whatever decision the party takes, we will accept it. I will not run away from challenges. Kangana is a big film star. But at the time of disaster, people saw that she did not do anything," Singh told AajTak in an interview.
Vikramaditya Singh questions BJP's Lok Sabha pick from Mandi
He furthermore questioned her on whether she met the people of Manali or Sarkaghat during this time or not. Vikramaditya Singh also said that it is not right for her to just visit Mandi before the elections as these issues will crop up during the campaign.
"She claims that her home is in Manali and she is from Mandi, did she meet the people of Manali or talk to the people of Sarkaghat during the disaster? It is not right to visit Mandi just before the elections. These issues will come up in the election campaign and people will ask whether she has contributed to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund," Singh said.
Vikramaditya rakes up beef controversy again
Moving on from her absence during the floods in 2023, Vikramaditya Singh questioned Ranaut on her past beef-eating habits, which she has talked about in several interviews. He said that not only the BJP, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) should see this, but Mohan Bhagwat should also pay attention to this.
"In many interviews, she themselves have said that she have eaten beef. Now, BJP, RSS, VHP, who call themselves Hindutva parties, should see that. The ticket has been given to the person eating beef. Mohan Bhagwat should pay attention to this," he said.
Notably, Ranaut recently clarified that she does not consume beef or any other form of red meat. She also said that "baseless rumours" were being spread against her and that she has been advocating and promoting Ayurvedic way of life for many decades.
Ranaut said people know that she is a proud Hindu and nothing can mislead them. The controversy erupted after Maharashtra Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar said Ranaut had once written on X that she liked and ate beef and the BJP has now given her a ticket.
Will it be Vikramaditya Singh vs Kangana Ranaut in Mandi?
As per media reports, Vikramaditya Singh is likely to contest against Kangana Ranaut from the Mandi seat. Singh's late father and former Himachal Pradesh CM Virbhadra Singh represented the Mandi seat in the past.
His mother and state Congress president Pratibha Singh told reporters that she wants to work in the entire state and not just limit herself to the Mandi seat. She further said that it was the suggestion of senior Congress leaders that Vikramaditya Singh is a youth leader who has a good connect with youngsters.
"The party high command has accepted this and they will give their decision on it soon," she said. When asked about Kangana Ranaut being fielded from the BJP, she said that comments on Ranaut's food preferences or her personal life.
"We do not need to comment on what she (Kangana) eats or her personal life. We have to work for development. We will definitely win this seat by fighting on issues," she said.