Vikramaditya Singh Selected by Congress to Contest Against Kangana Ranaut in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi

The Mandi constituency has a historical preference for electing royals, with scions of erstwhile princely states being chosen in 13 out of 19 elections since 1952, including two bypolls. Vikramaditya Singh, a two-time MLA from the Shimla (rural) assembly segment, has a family history in the parliamentary constituency, as both his father and mother each won the seat thrice.

Even before his candidature was announced, Vikramaditya Singh was involved in a confrontation with the actor-politician of Bollywood film ‘Queen’ fame, with both parties engaging in heated exchanges. The BJP candidate responded to Vikramaditya Singh’s comments about her reported views on beef-eating, while she defended herself by stating her desire to serve the people through politics and highlighting her independence from her parents’ influence.

Additionally, BJP leader Khushal Thakur, a Kargil war hero, and the titular king of Kullu Maheshwar Singh have expressed their support for Ms Ranaut. The Mandi Lok Sabha seat comprises 17 assembly segments, with eight reserved for Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes.

Notably, the constituency has seen exceptions such as former Union minister Sukh Ram, Ram Swaroop, and Ganga Singh, who did not come from royal backgrounds. Please note that the original headline from NDTV has been retained, and the text has not been edited by their staff and is published from a syndicated feed.