Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Pawan Singh, BJP candidate from Asansol, says he will not contest
Pawan Singh, a prominent Bhojpuri singer and the Bharatiya Janata Party's chosen candidate for Asansol, West Bengal, has announced his decision to withdraw from contesting in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections
 )
FollowPawan Singh, renowned Bhojpuri singer and Bharatiya Janata Party's chosen candidate for Asansol, West Bengal, has announced his decision not to contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Pawan Singh posted on X, 'I express my heartfelt gratitude to the top leadership of Bharatiya Janata Party. The party trusted me and declared me as the candidate from Asansol, but due to some reason, I will not be able to contest the elections from Asansol. Pawan Singh also tagged the BJP in this post.
BJP's Bhojpuri Cinema Gambit
In a notable move, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fielded four Bhojpuri film industry personalities as candidates for the upcoming parliamentary elections. Among them, Manoj Tiwari secured the BJP ticket for North East Delhi, while Ravi Kishan Shukla received the nomination for the Gorakhpur constituency in Uttar Pradesh. Additionally, Dinesh Lal Nirahua was chosen as the candidate for Azamgarh. However, the BJP's plan to field Pawan Singh for the Asansol seat in West Bengal encountered a setback when he declined the ticket.
Reasons Behind Pawan Singh's Decision
Sources reveal that Pawan Singh had expressed interest in contesting from a Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar. However, the BJP nominated him for a seat in West Bengal instead. It appears that Pawan Singh was reluctant to contest from a constituency outside Bihar. Moreover, the formidable political influence of Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal is speculated to have influenced Pawan Singh's decision to decline the offer.
Current Asansol MP is Shatrughan Sinha
The incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for the Asansol Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal is Shatrughan Sinha, representing the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Historically, Asansol has been a significant electoral battleground. Previously, this seat was held by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in both the 2014 and 2019 elections, with Babul Supriyo serving as the MP.
However, in 2022, Supriyo left the BJP and joined the TMC. Following his resignation as MP after winning a state legislative assembly election, a by-election was conducted, and Shatrughan Sinha contested as the TMC candidate, emerging victorious in the process.
