Cong won't return to power in 20 years if relief work goes on like this: Kangana

Indian Express

6 hours ago

BJP Lok Sabha MP from Mandi, Kangana Ranaut, on Sunday visited her rain-ravaged constituency and asserted that the way relief work is being undertaken, the Congress will not return to power in the state in even 20 years.
She added that as an MP, she could only apprise the prime minister of the situation.
'I am deeply pained to see the plight of the people. They have lost family members, houses have been washed away, several people are still missing, but we can only console the families who have lost their kin, and now it is time to provide relief,' the actor said in Thunag panchayat, which was among several place in Mandi struck by a cloudburst incident on Tuesday.
This was Ranaut's first visit to the affected areas of her parliamentary constituency since the disaster struck on June 30.
Her visit comes two days after she publicly clashed with former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Jai Ram Thakur over the issue of disaster-affected areas.
However, on Sunday, both were seen together visiting flood-hit regions in the Seraj Assembly constituency.
During a press conference on Friday, Thakur had refused to comment on Ranaut's absence, saying he wouldn't speak about someone who seemed unconcerned with the people. In response, the MP accused him of advicing her not to visit the area until road connectivity was restored. On Saturday, Ranaut wrote on her X account about her scheduled Sunday visit to the affected areas.
Ranaut on Sunday reiterated her Himachali and Pahadi identity. 'As a Member of Parliament, my responsibility is to secure funds and convey the ground reality to the government. I don't have an independent fund, officers, or a cabinet. I may not always be visible, but I'm a Himachali, a Pahadi, and I am here for my people,' she said.
Taking a dig at the Congress government in the state, Ranaut alleged rampant corruption in the state administration. 'Even in the past, when the Centre sent thousands of crores in disaster aid, the state government misused those. I fear the same might happen again,' she said. 'We must find a way to ensure that relief directly reaches the affected families.'
Speaking to the media, she highlighted the damage caused by the cloudburst. 'Thunag and surrounding areas have been severely hit. Roads are destroyed, and connectivity is disrupted. Our government and the administration are closely monitoring the situation, and relief operations are underway,' she said.
She added that the Centre responded swiftly by deploying the Army for rescue and relief efforts. 'Though the Prime Minister is on a foreign tour, he is fully aware of the situation on the ground, and the central government has swung into action,' she said.
The flood-like conditions in Thunag have left several villages isolated. Restoration of road connectivity remains a key challenge for the authorities.
Ranaut and Thakur jointly assessed the damage, especially in Thunag town, where the fomer met with affected residents and expressed solidarity. She assured victims of all possible assistance from the Centre. 'I will demand a special relief package from the central government and advocate for the rehabilitation and resettlement of the affected families,' she said.