Piyush Gautam

Pawan Singh, a well-known name in the Bhojpuri film and music industry, has turned down the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) offer to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Asansol constituency in West Bengal. Singh made the announcement on his official X account on Sunday, March 3, 2024, a day after the BJP released its first list of candidates for the upcoming polls.

Singh thanked the BJP leadership for trusting him and giving him the opportunity to represent the party from Asansol, but said that he will not be able to fight the elections due to "some reason". He did not specify the reason for his decision, but requested his fans and followers to respect his choice and support him in his future endeavours.

"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. I request all my fans and well-wishers to respect my decision and keep supporting me in my future projects. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat," Singh wrote on X.

Singh's decision came as a surprise to many, as he was seen as a potential vote-catcher for the BJP in Asansol, which has a sizeable population of Hindi-speaking migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Singh, who hails from Ara district in Bihar, has a huge fan following in the Bhojpuri belt, and has acted in more than 100 films and sung more than 500 songs. He is also known for his patriotic and social messages in his songs and films.

Singh's candidature was also seen as a challenge to the sitting MP and Union minister Babul Supriyo, who had won the seat in 2019 by defeating Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and actor Moon Moon Sen by a margin of over 1.9 lakh votes. Supriyo, who is also a singer, had recently faced protests and criticism from the locals over his alleged involvement in the coal smuggling scam and his controversial remarks on the farmers' agitation.

However, Singh's refusal to contest the elections also sparked speculation and criticism from the opposition parties, who accused the BJP of imposing outsiders and celebrities on the people of West Bengal, without understanding their issues and aspirations. The TMC leaders also claimed that Singh backed out of the race because he realised that he had no chance of winning against the TMC, which has a strong hold on the state. They also alleged that Singh was unhappy with the BJP's policies and ideology, and that he was embarrassed by his vulgar and misogynist songs, which had invited backlash from the women and the civil society.

The BJP, on the other hand, expressed its disappointment over Singh's decision, and said that it will soon announce a new candidate for the Asansol seat. The party also defended its choice of Singh, and said that he was a popular and respected figure in the Bhojpuri culture, and that he had a right to contest the elections as a citizen of India. The party also dismissed the allegations of the opposition parties, and said that they were scared of the BJP's growing popularity and support in West Bengal.

The Asansol seat is one of the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal, and is scheduled to go to polls on April . The sources said that he wants the candidature from Bihar that is done by saffron brigade, so he quit.