Wife or Party? Shatrughan Sinha's Lucknow visit leaves Congress miffed

Lucknow, Apr 18: Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha, who is contesting from Patna Sahib constituency on a Congress ticket, came under criticism after he campaigned for his wife Poonam Sinha.

"It is my duty as the head of the family and a husband to support my family," Sinha told ANI when asked about the objection raised by Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnan, who complained that Sinha should not campaign for a rival candidate.

Sinha had earlier said that he would campaign for his wife but "not for any other non-Congress candidate".

Poonam filed her nomination in Lucknow on Thursday where she has been fielded against Home Minister Rajnath Singh by the Samajwadi Party (SP).

Congress' Lucknow candidate Acharya Pramod Krishnam has expressed his displeasure at the development.

"Sinha Ji ne yahan aa karke apna pati-dharm nibhaya hai, lekin mai Shatru Ji se ye kehna chahunga ki pati-dharm unhone aaj nibha diya, lekin ek din mere liye prachar karke wo party-dharm nibhayein (Shatrughan Sinha has said he was doing his duty as a husband, I would like to tell him that he has taken care of his husband duties but now he should campaign for me and do his duty for the party.)

Lucknow is a prestigious constituency that has voted for BJP since 1991. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee represented the constituency from 1991 to 2004. After he retreated from active politics, BJP's Lalji Tandon won the seat in 2009.

Rajnath Singh retained Lucknow for the party in 2014 by defeating then Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who is now in the BJP.