In high-octane Mandi battle, it’s all about legacy versus transition

Dipender Manta

Mandi, May 29

The Mandi Lok Sabha seat is witnessing a high-octane contest between Congress candidate Vikramaditya Singh and BJP nominee Kangana Ranaut. Locked in a vitriolic campaign, both are attracting maximum eyeballs, especially due to the presence of the Bollywood star who is aspiring for a bigger role in politics.

The electoral battle is not merely a contest between two individuals, but a clash of ideologies and development narratives. While Vikramaditya has a huge political legacy to bank on with his father late Virbhadra Singh remaining six-time CM and three-time MP from Mandi, Kangana, a novice in politics, has been chosen by the BJP top brass. The state party leadership is toiling hard for her success.

The decision the voters make on the polling day will determine whether people trust a film star more than a tried and tested leader, amid skepticism on her accessibility and being a full-time ‘neta.’ Even as Kangana is drawing huge crowds, the poll outcome will indicate whether this translates into votes or she is valued more for the glamour quotient.

With state Congress president Pratibha Singh wresting the Mandi Lok Sabha seat from the BJP by a slender margin of 8,766 votes in the 2021 bypoll, the contest this time could also be very close. Political pundits, who predicted of the BJP having a cakewalk with the candidature of Kangana, have been compelled to rethink, considering the tactical campaign by Vikramaditya, which gives a glimpse of his father’s political acumen.

Vikramaditya’s strategy hinges on highlighting the developmental initiatives taken by his father, whose legacy looms large in every nook and corner of not just Mandi, but the entire state. The emotional connect that the ‘Raja’ had with people is clearly giving Vikramaditya dividend as he is perceived to be the torchbearer of his father’s vision and legacy.

He is also relying on the 15-month report card of the HP Government, especially the relief and rescue work done after the rain disaster last year.

In a stark contrast, Kangana brings to the fore a different narrative, which is centered around the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the achievements of former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, who is working overtime to ensure her victory. The BJP’s blueprint for the constituency encompasses a spectrum of initiatives, ranging from infrastructure development to employment generation.

Kangana has tried to evoke local sympathy by projecting herself as ‘Mandi ki beti’ who faced “derogatory” remarks from Congress leaders. However, the fact remains that had it not been for the candidature of Vikramaditya, the going could have been far easier for her.

The fact that Vikramaditya, a two-time MLA and Public Works Minister in the Sukhu government, had spearheaded the election campaign of his mother Pratibha Singh, in the 2021 bypoll, gives him a clear edge as he is familiar with the issues, areas and has a team of dedicated party workers. In fact, Pratibha’s victory in the bypoll set the stage for the Congress to bounce back in the 2022 Assembly poll, despite the BJP being in power in Himachal. For Kangana, it is an opportunity to consolidate the BJP, leveraging the popularity of Modi’s leadership and promise of ushering in development, considering her close ties with the party’s central leadership.

Although Mandi has been a stronghold of the Congress, which won 11 of the last 19 elections, but this time it is advantage BJP which has 12 sitting MLAs in the 17 Assembly seats that are part of the Mandi LS constituency.