'Stardom alone can't win you polls': Congress leader Vikramaditya Singh on Kangana Ranaut

Vikramaditya Singh, the Congress candidate from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi, has hit out at his BJP challenger and actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut, calling her her statements on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel ‘ridiculous’.

In an exclusive conversation with Hindustan Times' Kumkum Chadha, Singh spoke at length on various issues, including Kangana's candidature and the row over her remarks on historical figures.

‘Stardom alone cannot win you elections’

With Kangana's candidature, Mandi has turned out to be a constituency to watch out for. When asked about the contest, Singh said,"She is touring across the state and claiming that she is the ‘beti’ (daughter) of Himachal Pradesh. The disaster struck five months back. What stopped her from visiting and meeting people, and sharing grief with them?"

“This is what she needs to answer to the people and Parliament. Since Kangana Ranaut was nominated by the BJP, she has taken a lot of somersaults and changed her narratives,” Singh said.

“She has spoken on historical issues contrary to the historical facts. She will have to answer these questions,” the Congress leader added.

When asked if the Mandi contest is a battle between the ‘Queen’ and ‘King’, Vikramaditya Singh replied,"I respect her (Kangana Ranaut) for what she is. I don't want to limit the campaign to a clash of personalities between two individuals."

“My focus will be entirely on the people and different sections of the society,” he said.

On the question of a celebrity versus politician contest, Singh said,"Stardom alone cannot help you to win elections. She has the might of the BJP government behind her, that's a separate matter. As far as her stardom is concerned, it will not cut much ice among the people."

“The people have seen this previously in Gurdaspur, Mathura and other high-profile areas where stars were elected. After elections, they did not bother to go to their constituencies and meet the people. This entire disconnect between the representatives and the electorate, the people of Himachal Pradesh have realised it,” Singh added.

Kangana's statement on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose

Kangana Ranaut triggered a storm when she claimed that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was India's first prime minister.

"I would like to quote the grandnephew of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose who said that please don't play politics over the legacy of Subhash Chandra Bose. Netaji passed away in 1945 and we officially gained independence in 1947. The second statement Kangana made about Sardar Patel claiming he did not know English.

“I would like to remind her that Sardar Patel graduated from Inns College in London and was a barrister. All the letters he wrote are in English. This assumption that he did not know English and was not made prime minister is ridiculous,” Singh said.

Last week, Chandra Bose, the grandnephew of Netaji had told HT,"As far as her statement on the liberator of India, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose is concerned, it is incomplete. Netaji was certainly the head of state, the prime minister of a united, undivided India. The important factor is united and undivided, which she missed out."

Replying to this, Vikramaditya Singh said,"Officially, the first prime minister of India was Jawaharlal Nehru. She tried to make a political point but it was historically incorrect."