BJP candidate Kangana Ranaut, contesting from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi constituency, took a dig at rival Congress contender Vikramaditya Singh, saying he might have to pack his bags and leave. The Bollywood actor is currently leading by 65,807 votes over the Congress candidate, according to trends reported by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Kangana Ranaut's remarks are in response to Vikramaditya Singh's comments earlier, where he said she was giving good competition to comedian Kapil Sharma and, hence, return to Mumbai after the Lok Sabha election 2024 results.
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“They will have to suffer the consequences of talking so low about a woman... And that is becoming clear today with the way we have got the lead. Mandi has not taken kindly to the insults for daughters,” Kangana told ANI.
“As far as my departure to Mumbai is concerned, this (Himachal Pradesh) is my 'janmabhoomi', and I will continue to serve people here. I have always said that I will work as a soldier in PM Narendra Modi's goal of 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas.' So, I am not going anywhere. Perhaps someone else will have to pack their bags and leave. I am not going anywhere,” she added.
The actor-turned-politician cast her vote on June 1 at a polling station in Himachal Pradesh during the seventh phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. During the elections, she encouraged voters to participate in the “festival of democracy."
While filing her nomination, the National Film Award winner credited the people of Mandi for her entry into politics. She expressed confidence, citing her success in Bollywood and her hopes for similar political success.
Himachal Pradesh recorded a voter turnout of approximately 48.6 percent during this phase of the elections. The Mandi Lok Sabha seat in Himachal Pradesh is one of the state's four parliamentary constituencies and has been represented by both the BJP and the Congress.
Exit polls predicted victory for the 37-year-old actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut from Mandi, defeating Congress's Vikramaditya Singh, son of late Virbhadra Singh, the six-time Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh.
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