'Kangana queen of controversies': Himachal minister & probable Mandi candidate Vikramaditya Singh

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh on Monday dubbed actor Kangana Ranaut, the BJP candidate from Mandi Parliament seat, as the "queen of controversies."

"There is no doubt that Kangana Ranaut is a good actor but we should also not forget that she is queen of controversies. If she thinks that things that she has said from time to time would not be raised in the elections, then Jai Shri Ram to her," Singh told media persons here.

But these issues would be raised in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and Kangana would have to reply to the people of Himachal Pradesh, especially Mandi, said Singh, who is one of the probable candidates from Mandi Lok Sabha seat along with his mother Pratibha Singh.

Singh is also the state Congress in-charge of Mandi Parliamentary constituency, while his mother is the sitting MP from the seat.

Referring to an allegation against Kangana over beef-eating, Singh said that he prays to Lord Ram to give her wisdom and hopes she goes back pure from "Dev Bhoomi" Himachal to Bollywood because she will not win the elections as she knows nothing about people of the state.

In a post on X, Kangana said it is "shameful that completely baseless rumours" are being spread about her. "I don't consume beef or any other kind of red meat," she said.

Singh said Kangana is claiming that she is the daughter of Himachal but there are several daughters of "Dev Bhoomi" who have made the state and the nation proud in several fields and "my elder sister who was the Chief Justice of Manipur HC is one of them".

Replying to the statement of former chief minister and leader of opposition Jai Ram Thakur that Vikramaditya Singh would now be known as "Pal Pal Paltu Ram" for frequently changing his stand, the PWD minister said, "I do not need any certificate from Jai Ram Thakur who used to change his decisions every now and then when he was the CM."

The people who are saying that he changes his statements frequently and did not even get the invitation of Ram Mandir Pran Pratishta at Ayodhya, Singh said.

"I had said I would attend the ceremony and I kept my word," he added.

He said his family has an emotional connection with the people of Mandi as his father former chief minister Virbhadra Singh as well as his mother Pratibha Singh have been elected from this seat thrice.

"Strong candidates would be fielded in both Lok Sabha and assembly by-polls and the name of the candidates would be decided in the CEC meeting on April 13, he said, and added that he is a dedicated soldier of the Congress party and would follow the directions of the high command," Singh said.

Meanwhile, talking to media persons here, Pratibha Singh said a discussion was also held on the name of Vikramaditya Singh from Mandi Lok Sabha seat during the meeting of coordination committee held in New Delhi.

She said the senior Congress leaders suggested his name and were of the opinion that he is young, energetic, is a good orator, has influence over the youth and will be a good competitor for Kangana as both are young. However, the final decision will be taken by the Congress's central leadership, she added.

"Congress rebels Rajinder Rana and Sudhir Sharma had some expectations from the government and we had also raised their issues. Had their issues been resolved on time, this situation would not have arisen," she said.

Thakur had on Sunday targeted Pratibha Singh and her son and said they played a major role in instigating the rebels and later took a U-turn.