Pawan Singh, Renowned Bhojpuri Artist, Takes a Backseat from Lok Sabha Election Race

Pawan Singh, a prominent Bhojpuri singer-actor who was nominated by the Bharatiya Janata Party to contest the Asansol seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, has announced his withdrawal from the electoral race citing personal reasons.

In a statement shared on the microblogging platform X (formerly Twitter), Singh conveyed his sincere appreciation to the senior leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party for their trust in him. He expressed regret that, due to unforeseen circumstances, he would be unable to proceed with his candidacy for the Asansol constituency.

Singh’s decision follows considerable criticism from political adversaries, notably the Trinamool Congress, West Bengal’s ruling party, who have accused him of promoting content that objectifies women.

Responding to the criticism, the BJP issued a robust rebuttal, with party leader Amit Malviya urging the Trinamool Congress to refrain from condescending remarks and to recognize the contributions of individuals engaged in meaningful work.

Shortly after Singh’s announcement, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee took to X to commend Singh’s decision, interpreting it as a demonstration of the resilience and determination of the people of West Bengal.

On Saturday, the BJP unveiled its initial roster of 195 candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. This list emerged following an extensive meeting of the party’s Central Election Committee (CEC), presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attended by several prominent leaders.

Among the notable selections, Prime Minister Modi is slated to contest from Varanasi for the third consecutive time, while influential figures like Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh have been nominated for the Gandhinagar and Lucknow seats, respectively.

In a surprising move, the party nominated Bhojpuri actor and singer Pawan Singh to run for the Asansol seat in West Bengal. This constituency, situated in the coal mine region of West Burdwan district, represents a strategic choice for the BJP.