The parliamentary election for the Mandi seat in Himachal Pradesh has become a major talking point. BJP's fielding of Kangana Ranaut has made this contest intriguing. Facing her is Congress's young candidate Vikramaditya Singh, whose candidacy was previously announced by his mother and party State President Pratibha Singh.
The electoral history of Himachal Pradesh's Mandi seat is quite captivating. The seat has swung between Congress and BJP over time, but Congress has mostly come out ahead. However, BJP's historical wins on this seat are noteworthy, having set records yet to be broken. Let's delve into the reasons Congress is betting on Vikramaditya Singh from Mandi.
Source: aajtak
Undercurrents within the Himachal Pradesh Congress suggest turmoil surfaced during the recent Rajya Sabha elections, where six legislators cross-voted, leading to the party's defeat. This sparked concern about the loyalty of Pratibha Singh and Vikramaditya Singh.
It's believed that both mother and son's disenchantment began post-state election regarding the Chief Minister's role – with Pratibha Singh wanting her son as the chief. She is an MP from Mandi, which she is now passing to her son.
With Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu's government's stability on the line after the disqualification of six legislators triggering a by-election, Congress hopes Vikramaditya's candidacy will bridge internal rifts, potentially ending factionalism.
The candidacy could also instill stability within Sukhu's administration, bolstering party unity during by-elections. It's significant to note that Pratibha and Vikramaditya held CM Sukhu accountable for the Rajya Sabha defeat – with Vikramaditya even resigning his ministerial post but later retracting under higher command pressure.
Mandi Seat – A Congress vs. BJP Battleground
In 2004, Pratibha Singh clinched a victory over BJP's Maheshwar Singh with a 65,000-vote lead. That election also saw Congress ascend to national power. The nation looks with renewed interest at the history of Mandi Lok Sabha seat post-BJP's nomination of Kangana, where she will challenge Congress's youth leader Vikramaditya Singh.
In 2009, Congress nominated Virbhadra Singh, who defeated Maheshwar Singh by 14,000 votes. After Virbhadra's passing in 2013, a by-election saw Congress reclaim the seat, with Pratibha defeating BJP's Jairam Thakur by 100,000 votes.
However, under 2014's 'Modi wave', BJP captured Mandi, with Ram Swaroop Sharma defeating Pratibha Singh by 40,000 votes. BJP swept all state seats then and replicated its win in 2019.
Later, subsequent to Ram Swaroop Sharma's untimely demise while still incumbent, a by-election saw Pratibha Singh defeating BJP's Brigadier Khushal Thakur by just 9,000 votes. Now, Pratibha believes the Mandi electorate aligns with Congress, viewing her son Vikramaditya as a formidable contender.
Mandi Seat's Future - A BJP or Congress Stronghold?
If we review Mandi's electoral saga, both parties seem evenly matched, yet Congress appears to have an edge in victories. The real measure, however, lies in the margin of victory or defeat, where even BJP candidates have won by margins exceeding 400,000 votes.
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BJP fields Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut from Mandi. A staunch supporter of Prime Minister Modi, she has been notably active in recent months, also attending the Ayodhya Ram Mandir consecration. Her fierce public statements and alleged retaliatory actions during the Uddhav government in Maharashtra brought her significant political attention, following which the central government provided Y-plus security to her.
Source: aajtak
Should Kangana succeed in unseating Vikramaditya, it will place a significant question mark over his political future and aspirations to become the state's Chief Minister. Currently, he is an MLA from Shimla Rural and a minister in the Sukhu government. Conversely, a victory could affirm Kangana's standing not just as a 'filmmaker, writer, and producer' but also as a recognized politician.
