Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday expelled Bhojpuri singer Pawan Singh for contesting Lok Sabha elections against the National Democratic Alliance's candidate. Earlier, Singh announced his decision to contest as an independent candidate from the Karakat constituency in Bihar.
He had earlier refused the saffron party's offer to contest the Lok Sabha election as the party’s nominee in West Bengal. Following this, he filed his nomination papers as an independent in his home state Bihar on May 9.
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and state BJP President Samrat Choudhary commented on the expulsion of Singh saying: "It's obvious if someone contests election against the party, such actions are taken at the party's level."
The Bhojpuri star filed his nomination papers from the Karakat Lok Sabha seat, where NDA is likely to field former Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha of Rashtriya Lok Morcha.
The saffron party had previously nominated Singh from Asansol in West Bengal. However, he withdrew after a broke out controversy over some of his songs that disparaged women.
Earlier, in a post on X, Pawan Singh wrote: "There will only be development. There won't be any noise. We will give a new dawn to Karakat."
Pawan Singh's mother Pratima Devi, who filed her nomination as an independent candidate on May 14, had also withdrawn her candidature from Bihar's Karakat Lok Sabha seat. Election Commission of India confirmed Pratima Devi's withdrawal.
As per media reports, the singer-turned-politician sought a party ticket from the Rashtriya Janata Dal before he made the decision to contest independently.
After Pawan Singh's announced his independent canidature against the NDA nominee, some of the BJP leaders including Union minister RK Singh criticised his move. RK Singh is seeking re-election from the neighbouring Arrah Lok Sabha seat.