BJP drops Brij Bhushan, fields his son Karan from UP’s Kaiserganj

Lucknow: The suspense surrounding the Bharatiya Janata Party’s candidate for the renowned Kaiserganj Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh has finally ended as BJP has made it clear that the current Member of Parliament from the constituency, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, will not be contesting the upcoming elections. Instead, BJP has nominated his son, Karan Bhushan Singh. He is set to file his nomination on Friday morning at 11 AM.

After allegations of sexual misconduct were levelled against Brij Bhushan Singh by women wrestlers, speculations were rife that the BJP might give ticket to one of his relatives.

Just a few days ago, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh stated: “Kaiserganj’s name resonates not only in Hindustan but across the globe. Regarding the ticket, our workers are vigilant, but the party is silent. The wedding procession is set, but the groom is missing. However, I claim that if the BJP declares the candidate even an hour before, we will win the election with a big victory.”

While BJP did not declare him as the candidate, they did award the ticket to his son.

The selection of Karan Bhushan Singh has drawn criticism from the Congress, TMC, and Shiv Sena and wrestlers. They allege that the BJP is endorsing someone implicated in sexual harassment allegations.

Jairam Ramesh of the Congress condemned the move, suggesting the BJP has stooped to a new low by nominating the son of an accused sexual harasser. He criticized the party’s leadership and their quest for power, using the hashtags “#ModiMaafiMaango” and “#HaathBadlegaHalaat” in a social media post.

Shiv Sena’s Priyanka Chaturvedi, in a Hindi social media post, questioned the BJP’s commitment to women’s justice, accusing them of deceiving the public by substituting one Singh for another.

The TMC’s Sagarika Ghose labelled the BJP’s decision as “shameful” and indicative of “proxy politics,” arguing that it reflects the party’s unwillingness to denounce the alleged sexual misconduct by Brij Bhushan Singh.

Despite Brij Bhushan Singh’s denial of the allegations and a charge sheet filed against him, the TMC MP criticized the BJP for not taking a stand against sexual assault, calling their slogans on women’s empowerment empty and hypocritical.

Ghose also pointed out the contradiction in the BJP’s stance against dynastic politics, noting that another son of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is already an MLA, and now a second son has been given a Lok Sabha ticket. She described this as a clear example of family politics.

Former Indian wrestler and Olympic medalist Sakshi Malik also expressed dismay over BJP’s nomination of Karan Bhushan Singh.

“Daughters of the country lost, Brij Bhushan won. We all put our careers at stake and slept on the streets for many days in the sun and rain. To date, Brij Bhushan has not been arrested. We were not demanding anything, we were only demanding justice,” Sakshee Malikkh wrote on X.

Meanwhile, political analysts say that the BJP’s decision to stick with Brij Bhushan Saran’s family was primarily driven by concerns over the Thakur community’s sentiments. “With Brij Bhushan Singh’s considerable influence extending across four neighbouring seats, the BJP strategized to prevent potential backlash from the Thakur fraternity, fearing their discontent if Brij Bhushan or his family were denied ticket,” a political analyst Suresh Bahadur Singh said.

The significance of Thakur leaders in Uttar Pradesh politics cannot be overstated. With Rajput (Thakur) voters comprising 6-7 percent of the electorate, their historical prominence is evident through the five chief ministers and two prime ministers hailing from this community since independence. Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s stature as a prominent Thakur leader further underscores the importance of appeasing this influential demographic.

The fallout from the 2024 Lok Sabha elections also played a pivotal role in shaping BJP’s decision-making process. Despite the party’s re-election of most sitting MPs in Uttar Pradesh, the omission of VK Singh’s ticket from Ghaziabad and the absence of any Thakur leaders on the 27 Lok Sabha seats in West UP fueled resentment within the Thakur community. This discontent culminated in a Mahapanchayat spanning from Saharanpur to Ghaziabad, where the community declared its dissatisfaction with the BJP’s actions, prompting urgent intervention from the party’s top brass.In response to mounting pressure, BJP resorted to deploying heavyweights such

as Rajnath Singh and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to pacify

the disgruntled Thakur leaders, ultimately leading to the concession of awarding the ticket to

Brij Bhushan Singh’s son. This strategic manoeuvre reflects the party’s concerted efforts to maintain its stronghold in Uttar Pradesh amidst brewing dissent within crucial demographic factions.

The deadline for nominations in the Kaiserganj is May 3. The polling is on May 20.