Political Newcomer Kangana Ranaut Makes History as First Non-Royal Woman to Claim Lok Sabha Seat in Himachal Pradesh
New Delhi: In a historic achievement, Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut has made history as the first non-royal woman to be elected to the Lok Sabha from Himachal Pradesh. She is also only the fourth woman ever to represent the state in the Lok Sabha. Contesting as a BJP candidate, Kangana secured victory over her Congress opponent Vikramaditya Singh, who hails from the Rampur state and serves as the state Public Works Minister, by a significant margin of 74,755 votes in the Mandi constituency.
Political Newcomer Kangana Ranaut Makes History as First Non-Royal Woman to Claim Lok Sabha Seat in Himachal Pradesh
Political Newcomer Kangana Ranaut Makes History as First Non-Royal Woman to Claim Lok Sabha Seat in Himachal Pradesh
In 1952, Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur, India’s inaugural Health Minister and a member of the Kapurthala royal family, secured a Lok Sabha seat from Mandi. Chandresh Kumari, associated with the Jodhpur royal family and married into Himachal, emerged victorious in the Kangra constituency in 1984. Additionally, State Congress leader Pratibha Singh, affiliated with the Rampur royal family, clinched the Mandi seat in 2004, 2013, and 2021.
Traditionally, candidates from families that governed former princely states have prevailed in Mandi on 13 occasions. However, in this election cycle, voters have opted for Bollywood luminary Kangana Ranaut, a recipient of the National Award renowned for her roles in acclaimed films such as ‘Queen’. She stands out as the first celebrity to both contest and triumph in elections within the state. Notably, among the three female candidates vying for Lok Sabha seats in Himachal Pradesh this year, Kangana emerged as the sole victor.
As per the state election commission, female voter turnout exceeded that of males in three of Himachal Pradesh’s four parliamentary constituencies: Kangra, Mandi, and Hamirpur.
The BJP emerged victorious in all four Lok Sabha seats, including Shimla. The state boasts a total of 57,11,969 eligible voters, comprising 29,13,075 males, 27,98,859 females, and 35 third-gender voters. The election took place on June 1, with results announced on June 4.
Apart from Kangana Ranaut of the BJP, the other female candidates in the Himachal Pradesh Lok Sabha elections were Rakhee Gupta (Independent) from the Mandi constituency and Rekha Chaudhary (BSP) from the Kangra seat.
In the Mandi constituency, 5,03,173 women cast their votes compared to 4,94,657 men. Similarly, in the Hamirpur constituency, women recorded a turnout of 5,38,886, exceeding the 4,86,338 male voters.
In Kangra, 5,31,434 women exercised their franchise, while the number stood at 4,88,589 for men, as per the state election commission’s data.
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