Is Kangana ready to prioritize politics over acting? She reveals
It came as no surprise to many when Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut was chosen by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to contest from Mandi (Himachal Pradesh) in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The actor kicked off her campaign with a roadshow that began in Banoha and concluded in her hometown of Bhambla. In a recent interview, she revealed that she had been considering a political career for several years.
'Time has now come to fight a bigger battle': Ranaut
While speaking to Hindustan Times, Ranaut cited Swami Vivekananda, Sadhguru (Founder of Isha Foundation), and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as her inspirations for entering politics. When asked why she decided to join politics, the actor responded, "Joining politics had been on my mind for the past few years." "From raising issues of pay parity and women empowerment, the time has now come to fight a bigger battle for the people," she added.
She outlined priorities for Mandi, responded to criticisms
In her campaign, Ranaut pledged to focus on improving schools, hospitals, and roads in Mandi. Her immediate goal is to secure a decisive victory in the elections to effectively represent the constituency in Parliament. She said, "I will become the voice of the people of Mandi in Parliament and will fight for their rights." Meanwhile, addressing criticism from Congress regarding last year's floods, she asserted, "People in power are answerable for that and not me."
Ranaut to prioritize politics over acting, if elected
Ranaut confirmed that if elected, she would prioritize her political career over acting. "If people of Mandi elect me and want me to be here and serve them, I will work full-time for them," she stated. She acknowledged the possibility of making mistakes in her political journey but added, "This isn't a film industry that I will be crucified." On the work front, Ranaut is currently awaiting the release of her directorial Emergency, which she also headlines.
Amid this, her old post about 'not contesting' surfaced
Soon after her candidacy was announced, a 2021 tweet resurfaced on Reddit. In the tweet, she stated, "I was given the option of Gwalior during 2019 LS. HP population is hardly 60/70 lakh, no poverty/crime...If I get into politics, I want a state with complexities I can work on...and be the Queen I am in that field also." This was in response to a user on X/Twitter who had posted, "Remember this tweet! Ranaut will contest the by-election from Mandi..."
