PM Modi in Kashi, me in Choti Kashi: Kangana files papers

Mandi, which is home to over 300 temples including eight dedicated to Lord Shiva, is popularly known as Choti Kashi.

Tuesday was the last day for filing nominations. As per the chief electoral officer, 27 candidates fild their papers. Apart from Ranaut, BJP’s Sudhir Sharma and Chaitanya Sharma filed nominations for for bypolls to Dharamshala and Gagret Assembly seats, respectively.

As per the CEO, a total of 51 candidates, including five women, are in the fray for the four Lok Sabha seats while another 33, including three women, have filed papers for bypolls to six assembly seats. Of the five women who have filed papers for Lok Sabha polls, one each are from Kangra, Hamirpur, and Shimla, and two in Mandi.

In Mandi, Ranaut, while addressing a rally after filing her nomination paper, said the entire Himachal was her family and even after a glamorous life, her roots are in the state and she will do everything possible for Himachal.

Kangana accused the Congress government in the state of stalling the Rs 250-crore Shiv Dham Project, delaying the Mandi airport project, trying to shut down Mandi University and closing about 1,000 health, education, revenue and other facilities. She promised people that all these projects would be restarted once the BJP retains power at the Centre.

Though Ranaut made the promise, several of these projects do not come under the purview of the Centre.

“The BJP national president J P Nadda is bringing rail line till Bilaspur and I would make efforts to extend it till Mandi,” she added.

“People are saying the only thing guaranteed in these times of Kalyug is the ‘Modi guarantee’ and there is a Modi wave for a third time. It was due to Modi’s vision of women empowerment that the mindset of the people towards women has changed and the women are excelling in every filed,” she said and cited quoted the example of Droupadi Murmu, a tribal leader becoming President of India.

Spelling out her priorities if elected, Ranaut said improving connectivity and tourism promotion in tribal areas with focus on local food, tradition and culture and rural tourism empowering local entrepreneurs, women and self-help groups in areas like Seraj and Karsog valley and waste management projects would be her prime focus.

The Leader of Opposition in Himachal Pradesh Assembly Jai Ram Thakur and state BJP chief Rajiv Bindal accompanied the actor to the nomination centre.

The BJP cadres carried placards of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and shouted slogans in support of Ranaut as she headed to the election office. “I am thankful to PM Modi and the BJP for fielding the daughter of Mandi from here, enhancing the prestige of the state,” she said, adding “I am but a squirrel in Modi ji’s army.”

Ranaut’s mother Asha Ranaut said, “Kangana is getting good response wherever she goes and would win with a huge mandate.”

The “derogatory and sharp comments” on the actor by Congress leaders “is not going well with the women at large and the women power would give a befitting reply to them on June 1”, she said.

“As a mother, I am pained and feel that other mothers are also feeling sad by such remarks which shows the cheap mentality of Congress leaders. Kangana is getting immense love from people of Himachal especially Mandi and some people have also composed songs for her. I appeal to the people to ensure victory for their daughter,” the actor’s mother said.