Actress-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut has announced the launch of her new cafe in Himachal Pradesh’s Manali. The Mountain Story cafe, which she describes as a long-cherished dream, will open its doors on Valentine’s Day. While her fans and supporters celebrated the announcement, a surprising congratulatory message came from the Congress.
“We are happy to learn about your new ‘pure vegetarian’ restaurant. Hope you’ll serve some amazing Himachali vegetarian dishes for all tourists. Wishing all success for this venture!” wrote the official handle of the Kerala unit of Congress.
The post, which appeared out of character given Ms Ranaut is a BJP MP and her past political clashes with Congress leaders immediately triggered reactions from social media users. Many questioned whether the Kerala Congress account had been hacked.
“I am 100% sure this account is being run by a high school student on a lunch break!” responded one person
“Is this account hacked?” asked another
Dear @KanganaTeam,
We are happy to learn about your new ‘pure vegetarian’ restaurant. Hope you’ll serve some amazing Himachali vegetarian dishes for all tourists. Wishing all success for this venture! pic.twitter.com/00z8I0w9UB
— Congress Kerala (@INCKerala) February 12, 2025
Criticism also came from Congress supporters who found the message unnecessary.
“You guys keep tweeting such cheap posts and then wonder why you are losing elections? It takes a great deal of stupidity to completely ignore the ethos of this country,” wrote one person.
Ms Ranaut had shared a video of The Mountain Story cafe a few days ago, showing its interiors and the scenic beauty surrounding it. The video features wooden furniture, dimly lit chandeliers, and a traditional Himachali aesthetic.
“A childhood dream comes alive. My little cafe in the lap of Himalayas,” she had written.
Ms Ranaut’s latest film, ‘Emergency’, in which she plays former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, was released in theatres in January. As a first-time MP from the BJP, Ms Ranaut remains an outspoken critic of the Congress party.
