Vikramaditya Singh To Contest Against BJP's Kangana Ranaut In Mandi? Here's What Himachal Congress President Said

While Congress MLA Vikramaditya Singh has not yet confirmed his Lok Sabha candidature against BJP's Kangana Ranaut in Mandi, his mother and Himachal Pradesh Congress president Pratibha Singh has given hints in this regard.

Pratibha is the incumbent Mandi MP, who won the seat in the 2021 by-elections held after BJP MP Ram Swaroop Sharma's demise. However, for the 2024 elections, she cited her occupancy with her responsibilities as state party president.

"Being the state Congress president, I want to work in the entire state. If I contest elections, then I will be limited to Mandi seat," she said adding that many senior leaders have suggested Vikramaditya Singh's name for the seat.

"The party high command has accepted that Vikramaditya Singh is a young face, youth leader, who has a good connect with the youth and they will give their decision on it soon," Pratibha added.

Vikramaditya has acknowledged that his name was sent to the CEC, however the meeting on 13 April will decide who will be given the ticket from Mandi, he said.

He also praised his mother's work in the constituency and said that all the pros and cons have to be taken into consideration before deciding a candidate.

The Mandi seat is a legacy for Vikramaditya as his father and former Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has represented this constituency thrice. His mother also won elections here thrice.

Cuurrently, Vikramaditya is a Minister in Sukhvinder Singh Shukhu's Cabinet and has won Assembly elections twice from Shimla Rural constituency.

If Vikramaditya indeed get a ticket from Mandi, the constituency will witness a contest between 'under 40' leaders as Vikramaditya is 34-year-old while Kangana is 37-year-old.