Sagarika Ghose makes 'sexist videos' claim as Pawan Singh turns down BJP ticket
Pawan Singh is a renowned actor and singer in the Bhojpuri film industry.
Kolkata: Trinamool Congress leader Sagarika Ghose on Sunday claimed that Bhojpuri actor-singer Pawan Singh declined the Bharatiya Janata Party's ticket for the Lok Sabha elections from Asansol because of her party's backlash over the "candidate's sexist, misogynist' videos.
Trinamool's Rajya Sabha MP-elect, Sagarika Ghose said the BJP's Nari Shakti call in West Bengal is hollow and meaningless.
"Breaking news. Trinamool Congress impact! BJP India's Asansol candidate withdraws after huge backlash on the candidate's sexist misogynist videos. The BJP's 'nari shakti' call in Bengal now lies in tatters, revealed for what it is--hollow and meaningless," she wrote on X.
Pawan Singh, who featured in the BJP's first list of candidates as the party's Asansol candidate, refused to contest the elections from the seat, which is currently held by TMC leader and actor Shatrughan Sinha.
Pawan Singh thanked the BJP leadership for his candidature. However, he said he won't be able to contest due to some reason.
"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," he wrote on X in Hindi.
Pawan Singh is a renowned actor and singer in the Bhojpuri film industry.
Also read: New faces, veterans in BJP’s first list for Lok Sabha polls
BJP's first list
In its first list, the BJP included West Bengal unit president Sukanta Majumdar and union ministers Nisith Pramanik and Shantanu Thakur. The party announced candidates for 20 out of 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal.
Pawan Singh was a surprise nomination. The party was aiming at the Hindi-speaking voters of the coal mine belt of Asansol in West Burdwan district.
For the past few years, the seat has been represented by celebrities from non-political domains. Former BJP leader Babul Supriyo won the seat twice in 2014 and in 2019. In 2022, however, he resigned as the MP and joined the Trinamool Congress.
Later, Shatrughan Sinha won the bypolls on TMC ticket.
The BJP is trying to corner the Trinamool Congress government over the Sandeskhali sexual violence case. The party has accused the government of shielding rapists.
With inputs from PTI
