Vikramaditya Singh to contest against Kangana Ranaut in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh as Congress nominee

The Mandi constituency has a historical preference for electing royals, with 13 out of 19 elections, including two bypolls since 1952, being won by scions of erstwhile princely states. Vikramaditya Singh, a two-time MLA from the Shimla (rural) assembly segment, has a strong political lineage, as both his father and mother have each won the seat thrice. Even before being announced as a candidate, Singh was involved in a public dispute with a prominent Bollywood actor-turned-politician.

This altercation included comments on reported statements about beef-eating and a request for evidence of such behavior. Additionally, the actor firmly expressed her desire to enter politics and serve the people, emphasizing that politics is an avenue for service regardless of social status. The BJP candidate has received support from figures such as Khushal Thakur, a Kargil war hero who lost to Pratibha Singh in the Lok Sabha bypolls held in November 2021, and the titular king of Kullu, Maheshwar Singh, despite initially opposing the actor’s candidature.

The Mandi Lok Sabha seat includes 17 assembly segments, with eight reserved for Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes. Notably, exceptions to the trend of electing royals include former Union minister Sukh Ram, as well as two-time winner Ram Swaroop and Ganga Singh, who do not come from royal backgrounds. This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.