As the political landscape in Himachal Pradesh heats up, the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency emerges as a focal point with the prospect of a high-stakes battle between Congress heavyweight Vikramaditya Singh and Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut.
Today, discussions reverberated within the state coordination committee and the Congress screening committee in New Delhi regarding potential candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly bypolls. Reliable sources disclosed that Vikramaditya Singh, a prominent figure and two-time MLA from Shimla (Rural), has been approached by the party to contest from Mandi. The son of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, Vikramaditya’s involvement in his mother Pratibha Singh’s successful 2021 Mandi bypoll campaign has bolstered his candidacy.
Previously designated as in-charge of the Mandi Lok Sabha seat, Vikramaditya’s nomination marks a significant shift in the party’s strategy. Meanwhile, speculation swirls around other potential contenders across various constituencies.
Former minister and six-time MLA Asha Kumari emerges as a leading candidate for the Kangra Lok Sabha seat, leveraging caste equations in Kangra-Chamba to her advantage. In the Shimla (reserved) constituency, discussions intensify, with former BJP MP Virender Kashyap lobbying for a Congress ticket, while Dyal Pyari and Amit Nanda present a formidable alternative.
Former Una MLA Satpal Raizada is positioned as a potential candidate for the Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat, aligning closely with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. However, Raizada faces a daunting challenge against four-time MP Anurag Thakur.
Amidst these deliberations, attention also turns to the six Assembly bypolls, with intense jockeying observed in constituencies such as Dharamshala, Gagret, Kutlehar, Sujanpur, Nalagarh and Lahaul Spiti.
