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Maiden rally in Mandi: Kangana slams Rahul over ‘shakti’ remark
Holding a roadshow in Sarkaghat in her native place, she also flayed Congress leader Supriya Shrinate over her “derogatory” remark about the actress
Actor Kangana Ranaut on Friday launched a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his “destroying shakti” remark, during her maiden rally in Mandi from where she is contesting the Lok Sabha polls on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket.
Holding a roadshow in Sarkaghat in her native place, she also flayed Congress leader Supriya Shrinate over her “derogatory” remark about the actress.
Rahul Gandhi had said that he wants to finish “Hindu Shakti” while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to protecting “Nari Shakti” till he is alive, Kangana said.
The road from Banoha to Bhambla came alive as thousands turned up to get a glimpse of the actress-turned-politician. Many were seen on rooftops of houses and buildings flanking the road as Kangana moved to her native village Bhambla. She waved at the crowd from an open gypsy.
On the way to her ancestral village, Kangana was garlanded by people waiting for her since the morning. The crowd, largely women, was even head referring her “Mandi ki beti”. Several times during her address, Ranaut switched to the local Mandeali dialect which struck a chord with the people.
Upon arriving at her ancestral home, she was welcomed by hundreds and was seen bowing to an elderly woman.
Kangana said, “This is an important day for me. My motherland, my birthplace has called me and provided me an opportunity to work for its welfare.”
She said, “It’s with the blessing of my people that I have gotten the ticket and an opportunity to work for your welfare. I told party head JP Nadda that I will contest from wherever the party will field me, but my choice was always Mandi.”
“Congress could not swallow my candidature from Mandi and indulged in cheap politics. Supriya Shrinate made despicable comments about me and the women of Mandi. This shows how low they (Congress) can go,” Kangana said in her first public appearance in Mandi.
“You should not think that Kangana is an actor. I belong to Mandi and I am the daughter of Mandi. Opposition says that I live in Mumbai and question how can I work for Mandi. They do not know that all of Mandi is mine. My relatives and friends live here,” she said, and added, “Sarkaghat is mine and I will get a historic win from here that will set an example.”
“We are Modi’s army. PM Modi is a visionary leader and he has a great vision for India. He envisages India as a developed country by 2047,” the Mandi candidate said.
At present, the Mandi Lok Sabha seat is being represented by HP Congress chief Pratibha Singh, who won the 2021 bypolls.
However, last week, Singh had announced that she would not contest the Lok Sabha elections as the situation was “not favourable” and that workers were disheartened. But after the announcement of Kangana’s name, she has left the decision to contest on the Congress high command.
The election to four Lok Sabha seats of Shimla, Mandi, Hamirpur and Kangra would be held along with by-elections in six assembly seats in the last phase on June 1.
While the BJP has announced its candidates for the four Lok Sabha and six assembly seats, the Congress has not announced its candidates so far.
