‘Don’t want to contest Bihar Assembly polls’: Bhojpuri singer Pawan Singh says he’s ‘true soldier’ of BJP

Union home minister Amit Shah with Pawan Singh

Bhojpuri singer-actor Pawan Singh on Saturday clarified that he has not joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to contest the Bihar election as he asserted his loyalty towards the party.

“I, Pawan Singh, want to tell my Bhojpuri community that I did not join the party to contest the Bihar Assembly elections, nor do I intend to contest the Assembly elections. I am a true soldier of the party and will remain so,” he said in a post on X in Hindi.

Pawan Singh, popularly known as the ‘Power Star’ and a favorite among the youth, was expelled in May 2024 after contesting the Karakat Lok Sabha seat as an independent against the NDA candidate.

His decision split the alliance’s votes, paving the way for the opposition CPI-ML candidate to defeat Kushwaha.

The announcement comes amid speculation about his potential candidacy for the Ara assembly seat after he recently met home minister Amit Shah and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) chief and Rajya Sabha member Upendra Kushwaha.

Singh's decision seems to be influenced by his recent controversies, including a public spat with his wife, Jyoti Singh, who recently met with Jan Suraj Party chief Prashant Kishor.

She said that she has not sought a ticket from the party but rather to address the injustice faced by women.

"I did not come here to contest the election or seek a ticket, I came here to ensure that no other woman has to face the injustice I faced... I want to be the voice of all such women. So I met Prashant bhaiya. There was no discussion on elections or tickets. I have come here just for all those women", she said.

After the meeting, Prashant Kishor addressed the reporters, stating that while he cannot intervene in Jyoti Singh's family matters, he supports her safety and democratic rights and urged her to pursue her case legally.

(With ANI imputs)