BJP expels Pawan Singh

The Bhojpuri actor is contesting Lok Sabha elections from Karakat seat in Bihar as an Independent candidate against BJP’s wishes.

The BJP on Wednesday expelled Bhojpuri actor and singer Pawan Singh from the party for contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the Karakat seat as an Independent candidate.

Bhojpuri singer and actor Pawan Singh. (HT)

Former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha, who heads the Rashtriya Lok Morcha, is the NDA nominee from the south Bihar seat.

Singh joined the fray in Karakat after turning down a BJP ticket from Asansol in West Bengal amid a raging row over his controversial songs and music, allegedly fanned by the Trinamool Congress, which has fielded its sitting MP and actor Shatrughan Sinha from the seat.

“Pawan Singh has been suspended with immediate effect from the BJP for contesting as an Independent candidate from the Karakat Lok Sabha seat in Bihar against the party’s decision. This act is considered anti-party. The decision to suspend Singh has been taken by Bihar BJP president Samrat Chaudhary,” the party said in a statement.

Polling for the Karakat seat will be held on June 1.

Singh is giving a tough challenge to both Kushwaha and CPI-ML candidate Raja Ram Singh, a former MLA.

Singh, as a precautionary measure, had asked his mother Pratima Singh to also file nomination. Both his and his moother’s nominations were found valid during scrutiny. Later, Pratima Singh withdrew her nomination.

BJP leader and Union minister R K Singh, who is the party candidate from Ara, had also demanded action against Pawan Singh. Both are Rajputs and the minister had expressed apprehensions that the actor’s candidature was affecting Rajputs, it’s learnt.

“Pawan Singh’s decision to remain in the fray from Karakat is impacting other Lok Sabha seats in the larger Shahabad region as well,” said Gyanendra Yadav, a professor with College of Commerce in Patna and a political observer.