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Comedian Shyam Rangeela's nomination to contest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat was rejected by the Election Commission on Wednesday. Rangeela has alleged a series of hurdles in the nomination process, claiming he was barred from submitting his papers on time.
In a video message, Rangeela claimed that out of the 55 candidates vying for the seat, the forms of 36 nominees met rejection, while the affidavits of 15 candidates, including PM Modi and Congress pick Ajay Rai, sailed through the scrutiny process.
Rangeela has alleged unfair treatment by the District Magistrate's office, where he claimed being unfairly singled out and denied assistance during the filing process.
The response from the official Varanasi District Magistrate's account attempted to justify the rejection, citing deficiencies in Rangeela's affidavit and failure to comply with procedural formalities.
Varanasi, comprising five assembly seats, has been a battleground where the BJP and the Congress have locked horns over the years. Since 1957, while the BJP has enjoyed significant success since 1991, winning the seat seven times, the Congress has also wielded influence, securing victory six times.
The Varanasi seat has never been won by the Samajwadi Party or the Bahujan Samaj Party.
Formerly a staunch supporter of PM Modi, Rangeela had said that the circumstances have evolved over the past decade, prompting his decision to contest against the Prime Minister from Varanasi.
Source: "Laugh Or Cry?" Comedian After Nomination Rejected From PM Modi's Seat