India, July 4 -- A day after BJP leader Jairam Thakur criticised party MP Kangana Ranaut's absence from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh amid floods caused by a series of cloudbursts, she blamed the former chief minister and leader of opposition for staying away from the constituency.

The actor-turned-politician has been conspicuous by her absence from Mandi, which has seen 14 deaths and 31 people missing since the cloudbursts triggered landslides and flashfloods earlier this week. The worst-affected area is Thunag sub division of Mandi, where major restoration efforts are in progress.

Thakur is the MLA from Seraj, which also bore the brunt of the monsoon fury in Mandi district.

He had proactively campaigned for Ranaut in the run-up to the 20...