Fact Check: Has BJP fielded Kangana Ranaut from Mandi Lok Sabha constituency?
A purported list of BJP candidates for the Mandi Lok Sabha seat is viral on social media. Users claim the party has fielded Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut from the seat.
By Tejal Sinha Published on 9 Oct 2021 7:45 AM GMT
Hyderabad: A purported list of BJP candidates for the Mandi Lok Sabha seat is viral on social media. Users claim the party has fielded Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut from the seat.
"BREAKING NEWS: BJP has nominated actress Kangana Ranaut for Mandi Lok Sabha seat," reads the translation of the viral post.
Fact Check
The claim is False.
NewsMeter performed a keyword search to find out who was nominated for Mandi parliamentary seat. The team found a report published by Dainik Jagran on October 7.
"The first nomination for Mandi by-election was filed by BJP candidate retired Brigadier Khushal Thakur. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, State President Suresh Kashyap, Minister Mahendra Singh Thakur, Govind Thakur, MLA Rakesh Junwal were present on this occasion. Amidst drums, Khushal Thakur filed his nomination after the arrival of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur. Before filling the nomination, Brigadier Khushal Thakur went to the Tarna Mata temple and took the blessings of the mother," reads the report.
The team then found a tweet by Bharatiya Janata Party's National General Secretary (Organisation) BL Santosh who shared the list of candidates for by-elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly in Himachal Pradesh and other states
The fact-checking team then compared the viral list and the original list. The team noticed that the format of the list was different than the original list.
The team found a report published by DNA that debunked the viral news about Kangana Ranaut. "A fake list is being circulated on social media and WhatsApp groups whereby Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut's name features as the BJP's candidate for the Mandi Lok Sabha seat. Brigadier (retd) Khushal Thakur is BJP's candidate for the Mandi constituency. He will take on former Congress MP Pratibha Singh, who is late chief minister Virbhadra Singh's wife," reads the report.
It is therefore evident that the viral claim is False. Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut has not been nominated for the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency. BJP has fielded Brigadier Khushal Thakur from the seat.
