BJP’s Asansol nominee Pawan Singh backs out from Lok Sabha contest
Trinamool Congress (TMC) has claimed responsibility for BJP’s Pawan Singh backing out from contesting Lok Sabha polls from the Asansol seat while also questioning the Prime Minister about an apparent dearth of women candidates in his party’s first list.
On Sunday, TMC took to social media to claim responsibility for Singh’s decision to back out a day after the BJP had announced his name as a candidate for the Asansol seat in Bengal. Trinamool claimed that such a move came after its leader Babul Supriyo “exposed” on social media on Saturday how Pawan Singh, renowned for his works in Bhojpuri film industry, is “misogynistic” and “anti-Bengal”.
Supriyo had shared certain photos on social media which purportedly appeared as posters of Bhojpuri films featuring Pawan Singh. Such posters were deemed as offensive to women of Bengal by Supriyo.
Trinamool’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee termed Singh’s withdrawal as the victory of the people of Bengal. “The INDOMITABLE SPIRIT AND POWER OF THE PEOPLE OF WEST BENGAL. #Jonogorjon,” he posted on X minutes after Singh announced his withdrawal.
Addressing a press conference in Asansol, TMC leaders Shatrughan Sinha and Moloy Ghatak slammed Singh’s “completely obscene” music videos and songs. Ghatak said: “While the residents of Asansol were jubilant when Mamata Banerjee announced that Shatrughan Sinha would be re-nominated, Pawan Singh had to flee the political arena immediately after his name was announced.”
Sinha said: “We (TMC) had set a record last time, and our leadership is hopeful that we will break that record this time as well. As our district leaders said, the target is to increase the winning margin from 3 lakh to 4-5 lakh this time.”
Derek O’Brien, Trinamool’s Parliamentary leader in Rajya Sabha, said: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to Bengal and lectured us on Nari Shakti and women’s power. Then, he gave a ticket to someone who vilified Bengali women. That is the Modi ki Guarantee – if you speak ill of Bengal and women, the BJP will give you a ticket.”
Speculation is also rife over the absence of BJP’s senior leader Dilip Ghosh’s name in the first list of candidates. Ghosh had won the Midnapore Lok Sabha Constituency in the 2019 Parliamentary elections.
Meanwhile, Trinamool has snubbed the BJP for fielding less number of women candidates. Babul Supriyo said: “BJP is a misogynist party and only 13 per cent of their Lok Sabha MPs are women. BJP will never be able to understand the Bengali sensibility.”
Chandrima Bhattacharya, head of Trinamool’s Mahila Brigade, said: “Despite PM Modi’s tall speeches in Bengal on Nari Shakti, a ticket was given to a person (Pawan Singh) who insults women. How many tickets have been given to women till now?” she questioned.
