Congress Mandi candidate Vikramaditya Singh challenges BJP's Kangana Ranaut for open debate

The Himachal Pradesh minister hit out at the actress over her speeches in poll meetings and said that whenever she goes, she has only one agenda and that is to keep on repeating Prime Minister Narendra Modi's name.

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh minister and Congress candidate from Mandi Lok Sabha seat Vikramaditya Singh, on Wednesday challenged BJP nominee Kangana Ranaut for an open debate over their vision for the constituency.

While addressing a press conference, Singh said, "Ours is a healthy democracy...she should take part in a debate and tell the people about her vision. I will also tell the people about the work which I have done for Mandi as well as my vision for the constituency."

He also hit out at the actor over her speeches in poll meetings and said that whenever she goes, she has only one agenda and that is to keep on repeating Prime Minister Narendra Modi's name.

"Though we have immense respect for PM Modi, she should at least tell the people about her vision instead of completely relying on the PM," the public works minister added.

"She says that she is a big actress...she should come forward and tell the people of Mandi about the work that she will be doing for them, and I believe that the youth, women, and people of Mandi will appreciate it," Singh said.

"I believe that this is the way to take things forward so that the people of Mandi can decide whom they want to be their leader from Mandi," he said.

Singh claimed that Kangana has no knowledge about history and geography of the state.

"She just reads out the script that is handed over to her by her scriptwriters and has no reply when someone asks her a question," he said.

Meanwhile, Kangana, who was addressing a gathering in Nankhari area in Mandi constituency, hit out at Singh and said that if former chief minister Virbhadra Singh was alive today, he would have scolded Vikramaditya Singh for making 'disrespectful statements' against her and would have asked him to apologise to her.

She said that he (Virbhadra Singh) would have been deeply hurt by the fact that the daughter of Himachal Pradesh was told that she is 'impure'.

"We can forgive him (Vikramaditya Singh) for saying that, but we cannot give him the leadership," she added.