Usually critical of dynasty in other parties, the BJP has been unable and unwilling to step away from strongman MP Brij Bhushan. It has given his son, Karan, a ticket from Kaiserganj. Just weeks ago, he snubbed journalists, “Who is dropping my name? Will you…?”
By Omar Rashid
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party has been unable to ignore heavyweight, strongman MP from Kaiserganj and former wrestling chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s claim over the region’s spoils and fielded his son, Karan Bhushan Singh, in his place.
While Brij Bhushan won’t be contesting the Lok Sabha polls this time, BJP has ensured it is all in the family and that it still has his support. The BJP is already reeling under the fear of Rajput resentment, marring its prospects not just in Gujarat, after minister Parshottam Rupala’s statements the community took offence to but also in northern India.
There has been intense speculation surrounding who would be the BJP’s choice for UP’s Kaiserganj seat for the past few months. This high-profile MP, ever since women wrestlers sat in an unprecedented stir against Singh and levelled serious charges of sexual harassment and molestation against him, has been painted in a corner, but remained defiant and lobbied for a ticket for himself till the last minute. On its part, say analysts, the BJP brazened it out almost all of last year and hoped that the storm over Brij Bhushan would blow over. A Supreme Court direction forced the Delhi police to take cognisance.
Karan Bhushan Singh’s elder brother, Pratik Bhushan Singh, is an MLA from Gonda in the state, but now Karan is evidently the successor of his father, as he currently also heads the Uttar Pradesh wrestling body. He was elected president of the UP Wrestling Association in February, when, like the BJP nomination, he replaced his father. His brother Prateek is also a member of the Wrestling Federation of India. Their mother Ketaki Devi Singh is also a former MP. She was elected to the parliament in 1996. Together, Brij Bhushan and his wife have won the Kaiserganj and Gonda Lok Sabha seats six times since 1991.
This story was originally published in thewire.in. Read the full story here.
