Actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut is facing royal scion and Congress minister Vikramaditya Singh in a heated contest for the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency in Himachal Pradesh, which is going to polls on 1 June. This is being dubbed as the fight between the ‘queen’ and the ‘king’-- a hat tip to Ranaut’s popular movie ‘Queen’ and to Singh’s royal lineage.

“Vikramaditya Singh is good, really good. He is from a family of kings and monarchs,” said GS Rawat, who runs a shop of temple-goods next to the Bhoothnath temple in Mandi city. However, he quickly adds, “But everyone will vote for Kangana. It’s because of the Modi wave. We want Modi. It’s because of Modi that we will all vote for Kangana,” Rawat added.

This seems to be the common sentiment among most Kangana-supporters across Mandi. Scratch the surface and they aren’t Kangana supporters at all, but Modi supporters instead. The actor’s Bollywood persona may have made her a household name, but what is working against her in most places in the Mandi districted visited by The Quint, are primarily her own speeches.

In Ranaut’s village, Bhambla, where she was born and brought up before she became the Bollywood celebrity she is today, most residents see her as their own “daughter.” 
 
For instance, Bhambri Devi, said she has seen Kangana grow up in front of her own eyes. “She used to be so little...she attended the school nearby. I have seen her throughout her childhood. She is our daughter. Himachal’s daughter. Our pride,” she said.

Similar is the sentiment resonated by Chunni Lal, a vegetable vendor close to Ranaut’s home in Bhambla, Mandi. “We are connected to the party. It’s the party we care about,” he said. 
 
Another resident asserted that while Kangana's popularity does come handy, it doesn’t matter in the larger scheme of things. “Even if BJP fielded an illiterate person from here, that candidate would have won. Kangana is still educated,” the resident said. 

Similar is the sentiment resonated by Chunni Lal, a vegetable vendor close to Ranaut’s home in Bhambla, Mandi. “We are connected to the party. It’s the party we care about,” he said.

Another resident asserted that while Kangana's popularity does come handy, it doesn’t matter in the larger scheme of things. “Even if BJP fielded an illiterate person from here, that candidate would have won. Kangana is still educated,” the resident said.

In another speech, Kangana brought up the Russia-Ukraine war. “From Putin (Russia) to Ukraine, everyone turns towards PM Modi for guidance. And he does guide them. This is maybe why there isn’t a World War 3 happening today,” she said, at an election rally a few weeks ago.

Devi and her husband Pratap Singh, both are ardent BJP supporters, but get embarrassed when asked if they agree with Kangana’s speech where she said that “after Amitabh Bachchan if there is someone who gets this much love and respect, it’s me.” 
 
“She is a child, mistakes happen. She made a mistake, nevermind,” Devi said Singh said.  

34-year-old Vikramaditya Singh is the son of 6-time Himachal Pradesh CM late Virbhadra Singh. “Virbhadra Singh ji worked so much for Himachal Pradesh. I consider him a true king, from the heart. If he was around, we wouldn’t see which party is in the center. We would vote for him,” said Rashmi Thakur, 22, who knew it is the late CM’s son who is contesting this time, but struggled to remember his name.

25-year-old Sanidhya Pathak, said that it is “only Vikramaditya Singh who understand the youth of Himachal Pradesh and their woes.”

In 2022, Congress’ state election winning campaign was centred around emphasising the difference between Hindutva and Himachal Pradesh’s unique ‘Himachaliyat’. While Himachal Pradesh is a highly religious state, with Mandi referred to as ‘Choti Kashi’, most Gods that people here worship are the local Gods of the region.

Others too agreed that there wasn't much hysteria or hype in Himachal Pradesh during the consecration of the Ram Temple ceremony.

“Here only 1-2 per cent people went to Ram Temple. No one went especially. The only one who went especially was Vikramaditya Singh. No one else. We worship our kul devtas. We believe only in them and so we build their temples only,” a resident said.

Despite the fact that BJP’s pet issues like Ram Mandir haven’t gotten much traction in Himachal Pradesh, most voters we spoke to here do not see this as a contest between Vikramaditya Singh and Kangana Ranaut, where the former might have had an edge, but as a contest between Congress and Modi. This is leading to conversations being less about the local candidates—and is in fact causing some serious heated discussions on national issues.

“PM Modi in his speech made certain claims about Congress’ manifesto promises. As far as I have read, the manifesto doesn’t speak of mangalsutra or Muslims,” said Rakesh Walia, a resident. However, seated in front of him, another resident called Gagan Kashyap, said “no one reads manifestos anymore.”

“They divide the country on the basis of religion. And then keep people of that religion here? That has led to the creation of a mini-Pakistan in this country,” he added.

Despite the heightened polarisation, especially on national issues, most people across the spectrum agree that it is two pronged fight-- not necessarily between Vikramaditya Singh and Kangana Ranaut, but between PM Modi and the legacy left behind by Virbhadra Singh.