Congress won’t return to power in 20 years if relief work goes on like this: Kangana Ranaut

BJP Lok Sabha MP from Mandi, Kangana Ranaut, on Sunday visited her rain-ravaged constituency and asserted that the way relief work is being undertaken, the Congress will not return to power in the state in even 20 years.

She also said that as an MP, she could only apprise the Prime Minister of the situation.

“I am deeply pained to see the plight of people. They have lost family members, houses have been washed away, several people are still missing, but we can only console the families who have lost their kin, and now it is time to provide relief,” she said in Thunag panchayat, which was among several places in Mandi struck by a cloudburst on Tuesday.

Fourteen people have died, and a search is on for 31 missing, as cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslides caused massive destruction. More than 150 houses, 106 cattle sheds, 31 vehicles, 14 bridges, and several roads have suffered damage in the disaster. A total of 164 cattle have perished.

About 200 roads have been rendered out of bounds for traffic, while 236 transformers and 278 supply schemes have been disrupted in Mandi district as of Sunday morning, according to the state emergency operation centre.

“The relief and restoration works have to be done by the state government, and as an MP, I can only apprise the PM and the Home Minister about the situation and seek liberal assistance,” Ranaut told reporters.

“We are the link between the state and the Central Government, instrumental in getting projects from the Centre to the state and raising issues and grievances of our constituencies with the Centre,” she said.

“The way the state government is functioning, I can say that Congress will not come to power in the state for next 20 years,” she added.

Her visit comes in the wake of jibes from the Congress on her absence from her Lok Sabha constituency.

Earlier, when he was asked about her absence, her party colleague and Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur said, “We are concerned about the locals, we live and die for them. Cannot comment on those who are not.”

Ranaut parried the Congress’s charge by saying that an MP doesn’t have permission to allocate funds from the MP Local Area Development Fund in case of a disaster and that restoration of roads and other infrastructure are a remit of the state government.

The actor-politician earlier wrote on X, “It is heartbreaking to see massive flood devastation in Himachal almost every year now. I tried reaching the flood-affected areas in Seraj and other areas in Mandi, but was advised by the respected Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur to wait until the connectivity to the affected areas is restored.” She added, “Red alert is issued in Mandi. Awaiting authorities’ approval on the same; will be there as soonest possible, reached Mandi on Sunday – the day of red warning.”