INDIA VOTES 2024: Kangana-Vikramaditya clash on cards in Mandi as Congress may pick royal scion

Tribune News Service

Pratibha Chauhan

Shimla, April 6

The Mandi Lok Sabha seat could witness a keen contest with the possibility of Congress fielding Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh to take on actor Kangana Ranaut.

The issue was discussed at length at the meetings of the state coordination committee and the Congress screening committee in New Delhi today. Reliable sources revealed that the consent of Vikramaditya, a two-time MLA from Shimla (Rural) Assembly segment and son of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, had already been taken. In fact, he was summoned to the meeting of the screening committee, chaired by Bhagat Charan Dass, to seek his willingness.

Asha Kumari frontrunner from Kangra

• Former minister and six-time MLA Asha Kumari from Dalhousie remains a frontrunner for the party ticket from the Kangra Lok Sabha seat. Being a Rajput, caste equations in Kangra-Chamba favour her while the BJP has fielded Rajeev Bhardwaj, a Brahmin
• It is still unclear as to who would be fielded from the Shimla (reserved) Lok Sabha seat. With former BJP MP Virender Kashyap being keen to contest on the Congress ticket, deliberations are being held on the issue
• It is also reliably learnt that the possibility of Congress fielding former Una MLA Satpal Raizada from Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat remains very high. Raizada is a close confidant of CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu

Vikramaditya had been made in-charge of the Mandi Lok Sabha seat and his mother, a three-time MP from Mandi, was likely to contest the poll. However, now there seems to be consensus on Vikramaditya’s name who had handled the entire election campaign of his mother Pratibha when she won the 2021 Mandi bypoll.

The final stamp of approval on the list of candidates for the four Lok Sabha and six Assembly bypoll, being held on the disqualification of six Congress MLAs, is likely to be given by the central election committee with a day or two. The BJP has already taken a head start in the campaign as it announced its candidates for the four Lok Sabha and six Assembly bypoll seats.

Sources said former minister and six-time MLA Asha Kumari from Dalhousie in Chamba district remains a frontrunner for the party ticket from the Kangra Lok Sabha seat. Being a Rajput, caste equations in Kangra-Chamba favour her while BJP has fielded Rajeev Bhardwaj, a Brahmin.

It is still unclear as who would find favour for being fielded from the Shimla (reserved) Lok Sabha seat. With former BJP MP Virender Kashyap being keen to contest on the Congress ticket, deliberations are being held on the issue. He is learnt to have met some senior central Congress leaders to stake his claim for the ticket. Dyal Pyari, who had lost the 2022 Assembly election from Pachhad Assembly segment in Sirmour district, also remains a strong contender.

It is also reliably learnt that the possibility of the Congress fielding former Una MLA Satpal Raizada from Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat also remains very high. Raizada had lost the 2022 Vidhan Sabha poll and is a close confidant of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. Taking on four-time MP Anurag Thakur remains a formidable task for Raizada.

Discussions were also held on the candidates to be fielded for the six assembly bypoll from Dharamshala (Kangra), Gagret and Kutlehar (Una), Sujanpur (Hamirpur), Nalagarh (Solan) and Lahaul Spiti. Even though at certain places like Lahaul Spiti, former BJP legislators are keen to contest on the Congress ticket, a move being opposed by the local Congress leaders and workers.

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