Vikramaditya Singh calls Kangana Ranaut’s visits to Mandi ‘political tourism’

Mandi, April 18

Vikramaditya Singh, Congress candidate from Mandi parliamentary constituency, today said that BJP candidate Kangana Ranaut’s visits to the Mandi parliamentary constituency was mere ‘political tourism’ and after the elections she would leave Himachal to visit Mumbai.

The Public Works Department Minister was at Anni in Kullu district yesterday to attend a religious function. Virkramaditya, while talking to reporters at Anni, raised questions on Kangana’s attire and said that “it looks as if she is shooting for a film”. He was perhaps referring to Kangana’s visits to Kullu and Chamba when she wore local dresses. He added that people’s hearts could not be won by changing costumes. “The weather is good in the state these days for political tourism,” he alleged.

The minister said some TV channels were predicting the BJP to form government at the Center, as per some surveys. “These surveys were proved wrong in the Assembly elections. There is no need to trust these surveys. The Congress will win all four Lok Sabha seats and six Assembly byelections in Himachal.

The Central Government was requested for a Rs 12,000 crore financial aid in view of the damage caused by the rain disaster in Himachal, but till now nothing has been received. So, how can there be embezzlement of funds,” he said while replying to Kangana’s allegations. She had recently accused the state government of embezzlement in disaster relief funds provided by the Central Government.

Vikramaditya said, “Jai Ram Thakur has tried to stop the payment of Rs 1,500 per month to the women of the state. He does not raise the issues of Himachal’s interest before the Prime Minister in New Delhi but returns wearing a cap and a shawl.”

He said that the work on the Jalori Pass tunnel on the Aut-Luhri highway in Kullu district would start soon. He added that If he wins the elections, he would raise the voice of not only Mandi but also the entire Himachal.