Lok Sabha Election 2024: BJP Replaces Brij Bhushan Singh With His Son In Kaiserganj Seat

Updated: Thursday, May 2, 2024, 17:17 [IST]

The Bharatiya Janata Party dropped sitting Kaiserganj MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been accused of sexual harassment by women wrestlers and awarded a ticket to his son, Karan Bhushan Singh, on Thursday.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, BJP wrote, "The BJP Central Election Committee has given its approval to the following two names in its 17th list for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024."

BJP Replaces Brij Bhushan Singh With Son, Here's Why

Earlier, reports related to the same development emerged in which it was stated that the BJP Chief had a phone conversation with Brij Bhushan over the Kaiserganj seat, and it was indicated that the Lok Sabha ticket may be given to his son, Karan Bhushan Singh, who is presently the president of the Uttar Pradesh wrestling association, as reported by India Today.

Notably, Polling for Kaiserganj will be held in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections on May 20. Brij Bhushan, who served as the president of the Wrestling Federation of India for nearly a decade, was accused of sexual harassment by six women wrestlers.

A massive protest against Brij Bhushan was held at Delhi's Jantar Mantar by top Indian wrestlers like Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia. Following the wrestlers' protest, a case was registered against Brij Bhushan by the Delhi Police in June 2023. However, he was granted bail on July 20, 2023.

An order on framing of charges against the six-term BJP MP has been reserved by a Delhi court, as reported by India Today. In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, Brij Bhushan won the election from Kaiserganj by a margin of two lakh votes. Previously, it was stated by him that the BJP had no contest in the Kaiserganj seat. "Last time, the seat was won by more than 2 lakh votes. This time, the workers have given a call for 5 lakh votes," he had said.

However, during the height of the wrestlers' protest last year, he was resolute on contesting the seat. "The election from Kaiserganj will be contested," the BJP MP had stated then.