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Lok Sabha elections 2019: ‘Party over family’: Shatrughan gets reminder from Cong’s Lucknow candidate
Shortly after Shatrughan Sinha campaigned in Lucknow for his wife Poonam Sinha, Congress candidate Acharya Pramod Krishnam said that he’s performed his ‘patni dharam’ and should now perform his duty for the Congress in the coming days.
Congress candidate Acharya Pramod Krishnam on Thursday urged actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha to perform his duties for the Congress as well after doing his duty for his wife Poonam Sinha, the Samajwadi Party candidate against Krishnam in Lucknow.
Shatrughan Sinha, the Congress candidate from the Patna Sahib Lok Sabha seat in Bihar, joined his wife’s road show and campaigned for her as she filed her nomination papers here.
“Shatrughan Sinha has performed his ‘Patni Dharm’ (duty for wife) today. In my opinion, the party is above the family and so Sinha should also perform his duty for the Congress here in the coming days,” said Krishnam after filing his nomination papers.
WATCH: ‘Time for party dharm after patni-dharm’: Shatrughan reminded by Cong neta
Krishnam, who addressed a meeting of party workers at Salempur House behind the Quaiserbagh Baradari before going to file his nomination papers, said he was thankful to Congress president Rahul Gandhi and party general secretary for east UP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for fielding him from Lucknow.
“I have now put the ‘tilak’ of Lucknow’s soil on my forehead forever. Those who are contesting the election against me have power as they have chief minister, deputy chief minister or former chief minister with them. I am contesting the election on the basis of the love of Lucknow. I am sure Lucknow will send the message of love in this election,” said Krishnam.
Also read: ‘Would have loved to contest against PM Modi’: Shatrughan Sinha
Those who joined Krishnam at the meeting included Swamy Namdev Tyagi, popularly known as Computer Baba and a number of other saints and senior Congress leaders.
“The Congress ticket to Acharya Pramod Krishnam is an honour to all the saints. We never knew Prime Minister Narendra Modi will become a chowkidar. But now he wants to make all our children chowkidars,” said Tyagi amid slogans of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Mandir Nahin To Vote Nahin” by the saints and party leaders.
Senior Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said Krishnam was equally respected by all the communities. Congress Legislature Party leader Ajay Kumar Lallu said the Lok Sabha election was a festival of democracy and the partymen should fan out to all areas of the constituency to mobilise support for the party candidate. Naseemuddin Siddiqui, who joined the Congress after quitting the BSP, said Krishnam was like a father figure for him and party activists should work for his victory. Retired IAS officer Anis Ansari urged people to turn up in large numbers on the polling day to ensure Krishnam’s victory.
As more and more people wanted to speak at the meeting, Krishnam had to leave the venue midway to file his nomination. A procession of saints and workers later followed him to the collectorate where Krishnam filed his nomination.
