Did not visit Mandi on ‘advice’ of Jairam Thakur: Kangana

The ruling Congress in Himachal Pradesh on Friday took a dig at the opposition party in the state over Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Kangana Ranaut’s statement that she did not visit the areas affected by cloudburst incidents in Mandi on the “advice” of BJP leader Jairam Thakur. The Congress quipped that Kangana’s statement has angered Thakur, the Leader of Opposition in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly. 43 people have died due to weather-related incidents in Himachal, including 14 due to cloudburst, eight due to flash floods, one due to landslide and seven people died due to being swept away in flood waters. The maximum number of deaths have occurred in Mandi, where 10 incidents of cloudburst, flash floods and landslides have caused massive destruction. Ranaut said in a post on ‘X’ on Friday, “It is heartbreaking to see the devastation caused by floods almost every year in Himachal Pradesh. I wanted to visit flood-affected areas in Seraj and Mandi, but Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur advised me to wait till connectivity is restored in the affected areas.” In another post, she said, “I am going to Himachal Pradesh. Will visit the affected areas soon. I stand with Himachal Pradesh in every situation. Jai Hind!” A day earlier, on Thursday, Thakur, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, had tried to evade questions about Ranaut’s absence from the disaster-hit area. He had said, “We are concerned about the local people and we live and die for them. We cannot comment on those who are not concerned.” Taking a dig at the remarks, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu on Friday advised Ranaut to talk to Thakur and said Thakur was “getting angry”.