Gunning for a rival - and his wife

New Delhi, May 10 (IANS) A spouse often doesn't get dragged into the electoral battle between candidates. But that's what is happening in the Mandi constituency of Himachal Pradesh.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Maheshwar Singh is busy chastising only his Congress rival and five-time chief minister Virbhadra Singh but also the latter's wife and sitting MP Pratibha Singh.

Speaking in the local dialect, Maheshwar Singh never forgets to tell voters: 'Virbhadra ney itna dukhi nahin kiya jitna usadi laadi ney kita. Politics mein ladi ka bhi kaafi role hota hai (Virbhadra has not disappointed people as much as his wife. Spouses also have a crucial role to play in politics).'

Pratibha Singh had after all defeated Maheshwar Singh by 66,566 votes from the same seat.