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

The Mandi constituency has a historical preference for royals from former princely states, with 13 out of 19 elections, including two bypolls since 1952, electing them. Vikramaditya Singh, a two-time MLA from the Shimla (rural) assembly segment, has a family history in the parliamentary constituency – his father and mother both won the seat thrice. Even before his candidature was announced, Singh was involved in a public dispute with a Bollywood actor-politician.

The BJP candidate’s response came after Singh’s comment about her reported remarks over beef-eating. The actor-politician emphasized her desire to serve the people through politics, stating that anyone, from a king to a beggar, is entitled to that expression. BJP leader Khushal Thakur, a Kargil war hero, expressed his support for the actor-politician, and BJP leader Maheshwar Singh, the titular king of Kullu, also extended his support.

The Mandi Lok Sabha seat comprises 17 assembly segments, with eight reserved for Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes. Notably, former Union minister Sukh Ram, Ram Swaroop, and Ganga Singh were exceptions to the historical trend of electing royals, as they did not belong to royal families.