Kullu/Manali: With assembly election dates expected to be announced shortly for Himachal Pradesh, incumbent Chief Minister Jairam Thakur on Tuesday met Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut at her residence in Manali.
The CM's breakfast visit comes ahead of election season in the hill state when he is expected to kick off campaign in November. The meeting has raised speculation that Ranaut, largely seen as a supporter of the BJP government at the Centre, may become an active participant in state politics this time. The CM's convoy left the Manali Circuit House around 9 am and went directly to the Ranaut household, located in the Simsa area of the city.
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The meeting on Tuesday came on the sidelines of Thakur's visit to Kullu marking the end of week-long Dussehra festivities. Despite no official confirmation having been provided for the meet, available visuals displayed the CM, alongside wife Sadhna Thakur and Deputy Chief Minister Govind Thakur, meeting family members of Ranaut and taking pictures.
The actor's stand in backing the Modi government on social media, particularly Twitter, has drawn a lot of public attention in recent years. Her account was permanently banned in May, 2021 after she uploaded a video demanding President's rule to be imposed in West Bengal, close on the heels of the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress scoring an assembly election victory in the state.
