LS Polls 2024: After Pawan Singh, another BJP candidate opts out of the race; here's why

BJP's Upendra Singh Rawat has withdrawn his candidature from the Barabanki seat in Uttar Pradesh after his alleged obscene video went viral, India Today reported on Monday. Rawat, the sitting MP from Barabanki, was among 195 candidates named in the BJP's first list for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Days after his candidature was confirmed, a purported video went viral showing Rawat in a compromising position with a woman of foreign origin. The MP, however, called the video fake and lodged an FIR as well. 

According to the FIR, some people allegedly made public a fake video of the MP after he was given a ticket in an attempt to tarnish his image.

"An edited video of mine is being made viral which is generated by DeepFake AI technology, for which I have lodged an FIR. In this regard, I have requested the Honorable National President to get it investigated. I will not contest any election in public life until I am proven innocent," he said in a tweet. 

With this, Rawat has become the second candidate to opt out of the election over controversy. On Sunday, Bhojpuri singer Pawan Singh, who was the party's pick for Asansol seat in West Bengal, said due to some reason he will not be able to contest the elections from the said constituency.

Pawan Singh had come under fire for his some of the songs in which he used derogatory words against Bengal women.  

TMC's Babul Supriyo said he had nothing against Pawan Singh or as an artist. "But in the videos and movies, particularly of a person, Bengali women are targeted," said Supriyo, who himself is a singer and had won parliamentary elections from Asansol. He said derogatory words have been used against Bangla women. "How can the BJP field such a person from Asansol."