The BJP has not announced its candidate from Kaiserganj, a seat most strongly associated with the controversial former Wrestling Federation of India chief, Brijbhushan Sharan Singh.
He has to his name two chargesheets filed by the Delhi Police, which investigated the complaints of female wrestlers against him during his tenure as the WFI president. The charges include stalking, making sexually coloured remarks, outraging the modesty of a woman and intimidation. These are the latest in a long rap sheet that includes charges of murder and kidnapping.
Despite the party not having made an announcement, Singh has kickstarted a campaign of sorts. There has also been no let-up in his presence at almost every programme held in the constituency.
In June 2023, he had made a demonstration of his strength through a road show and a rally in Gonda. There was profuse praise for the government and no mention of the allegations against him. He was not formally invited to Ayodhya for a couple of important meetings, but he has been undeterred. Ayodhya is an important turf for Singh as he was educated there.
The BJP would not dare to upset Singh. However, the party must be well aware of the fodder his nomination would give to the opposition. On more than one occasion, Singh has said that he will be fighting the election. Feelers sent to him about another family member getting a ticket till he remains under a cloud have not been met positively.
He had recently remarked that the BJP ‘loves’ him a lot, though he has avoided answering any direct questions about the ticket itself.
BJP’s district unit president, Amar Kishore Kashyap, does not want to speculate on the probable candidate.“The party’s decision will be final,” he said.
Kaiserganj is a seat keenly watched by the opposition. Singh has, after all, fought and won once from the Samajwadi Party, too.
Even if Singh is denied a ticket and he contests independently, such is the power he has through a network of colleges and schools that he runs in the area, that defeating him would be difficult.
Would the BJP be willing to risk it, remains to be seen.
