New Delhi: Actor-turned-politician and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has defended her absence from the flood-ravaged Mandi constituency in Himachal Pradesh, claiming she was advised not to travel to the affected areas by senior BJP leader and former chief minister Jairam Thakur.
The statement came in a post on X (formerly Twitter) a day after Thakur publicly criticised her for being missing in action as the region suffered from cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslides.
It is heartbreaking to see massive flood devastation in Himachal almost every year now, I tried reaching to flood affected areas in Seraj and other areas in Mandi, but advised by respected leader of opposition Shri @jairamthakurbjp ji to wait untill the connectivity and reach to…
— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) July 4, 2025
“I tried reaching flood-affected areas in Seraj and other areas in Mandi, but was advised by respected leader of opposition Shri @jairamthakurbjp ji to wait until the connectivity to the affected areas are restored. Red alert is issued by Mandi DC today as well. Awaiting authorities’ approval on the same, will be there soonest possible. Thanks,” Ranaut posted.
The Mandi district, particularly Seraj—which is Thakur’s assembly constituency—has seen at least 14 deaths in the last week alone due to severe monsoon activity.
Jairam Thakur’s Sharp Remarks
Thakur, who had campaigned extensively for Ranaut during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, did not mince words when asked about her absence:
“I don’t know why she (Kangana) did this. We are here, we are here to live and die with the people of Mandi. I do not want to comment on