Kangana Ranaut, Vikramaditya Singh hope to ride high turnout wave to victory

The seat is witnessing a high-profile election battle, as actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut makes her electoral debut on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket.

Mandi Lok Sabha constituency led the state with a 72% turnout as the state voted in the seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha elections.

Congress’ Mandi Lok Sabha candidate Vikramaditya Singh after casting his voter. (HT Photo)

The seat is witnessing a high-profile election battle, as actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut makes her electoral debut on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket. She takes on Congress’ Vikramaditya Singh, the son of former six-time chief minister Virbhadra Singh and sitting Mandi MP Pratibha Singh, and a minister in the state government.

Mandi had witnessed a 73.6% voter turnout in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, but the figure had dropped to 58% in the 2021 bypolls. On Saturday, Mandi’s Nachan assembly segment registered the highest turnout of 77.47%. Sundernagar followed with 75.86% turnout.

Kangana’s home turf lags

In Sarkaghat, the home assembly segment of Kangana Ranaut, the turnout was relatively low at 67.62%. The number for Rampur, which is the home assembly constituency of Vikramaditya Singh, was 74.16%.

Similarly, the turnout in Seraj, the home assembly constituency of former CM Jai Ram Thakur was 75%. Among all the assembly constituencies, the lowest voter turnout was recorded in Bharmour at 62.5%.

Duo exudes confidence

Ranaut after casting her vote in the seventh phase of the Lok Sabha election exuded confidence that the party will sweep all the four seats in Himachal. She said that there is a complete “Modi wave” in the state.

“There is a complete Modi wave in Himachal. Our Prime Minister has conducted almost 200 rallies, given at least 80-90 interviews in just two months,” she said, exuding confidence in BJP’s “400 paar (400-plus)” slogan. “We are soldiers of PM Modi, and will win all four seats in Himachal Pradesh,” she added.

Vikramaditya, meanwhile, was also confident in his campaign, saying, “I contested the elections on key issues, and I am hopeful of a victory that will represent a win for the people and for development. Our resolve is to make Mandi the best parliamentary constituency in the country in the coming times. I am optimistic about receiving support from the people and committed to advancing Mandi on the path of development.”

The Mandi Lok Sabha seat is currently held by Pratibha Singh, Virbhadra’s wife. She wrested the seat for the Congress in the bypolls held following the demise of BJP MP Ram Swaroop Sharma.

Before Pratibha Singh’s win in 2021, Sharma had registered victory in 2014 and 2019. Earlier in 2009, Virbhadra had won from Mandi, but resigned in 2012 to become the CM and his wife won the bypoll in 2013.