Samajwadi Party changes Varanasi candidate, fields ex-BSF constable Tej Bahadur Yadav against PM Modi
PM Narendra Modi-Tej Bahadur Yadav
In a surprise move,the Samajwadi Party on Monday changed its candidate in the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat and fielded ex-BSF trooper Tej Bahadur Yadav against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The SP, which is in an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal, had earlier declared Shalini Yadav as its candidate from Varanasi, while the Congress has renominated Ajai Rai.
"I was sacked for raising the issue of corruption. My sole objective will be to strengthen and eliminate corruption in the forces," Yadav told reporters when asked about the SP decision to field him.
Yadav will be challenging Modi in Varanasi constituency of Uttar Pradesh, an SP leader said.
The former Border Security Force (BSF) soldier had uploaded a video on social media in 2017, complaining that poor quality food was being served to the troops in the icy, mountainous region along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. He was later dismissed on the charge of indiscipline.
The SP is contesting the Lok Sabha polls in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal in Uttar Pradesh to defeat the BJP. As per the seat-sharing pact, the SP is contesting 37 Lok Sabha seats, while Mayawati-led BSP and Ajit Singh's RLD have been allocated 38 and three seats respectively.
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The election in Varanasi is slated to take place in the last phase of seven-phased Lok Sabha elections on May 19. The counting of votes will begin on May 23.
(With inputs from agencies)