The Election Commission of India (ECI) has made a significant decision regarding the candidature of comedian Shyam Rangeela in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi. On Wednesday, the ECI rejected Rangeela’s affidavit after he filed his nomination as an Independent candidate to contest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Among 55 candidates in the fray, the forms of 36 nominees were rejected by the poll panel. However, the affidavits of 15 candidates, including PM Modi and Congress’ Ajay Rai, were accepted.
Rangeela’s nomination was marked by controversy as he alleged hindrances in submitting his papers. He claimed that despite his persistent efforts since May 10, he was barred from accessing the district magistrate’s office on the day PM Modi submitted his nomination papers.
The comedian-turned-politician, who gained fame for his mimicry of PM Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi, expressed a shift in his political allegiance. Previously a supporter of PM Modi, Rangeela cited changes in the political landscape over the past decade as his motivation to contest against the Prime Minister in Varanasi.
“In 2014, I was a follower of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Rangeela stated. “But the situation has changed in the last 10 years. I will now contest against the Prime Minister in the Lok Sabha polls as an Independent candidate.”
Varanasi, a crucial electoral battleground, is scheduled to go to the polls in the seventh and final phase on June 1.
