Time would tell: Pawan Singh on contesting Lok Sabha polls

New Delhi: Bhojpuri actor-singer Pawan Singh on Monday said "time would tell" if he would contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Talking to media after meeting BJP president JP Nadda, Singh, who was to be the BJP candidate from Asansol in West Bengal but announced he would not fight following a backlash over his candidature, evaded questions on what made him take the decision.

"I talked to the party president. Whatever happens in future will be good," Singh told media after meeting Nadda.

Asked if he would fight in the upcoming elections, he said, "That only time would tell." "I will share with you if something happens... Keep it on hold for now," he said.

Singh, however, refused to reply to questions on what prompted him to make the decision.

"It's a matter of time (samay samay ki baat hai)," he said.

Singh withdrew his name from the Lok Sabha poll contest from Asansol seat in West Bengal on Sunday, a day after the BJP named him as its candidate from the constituency currently represented by Trinamool Congress’ (TMC's) Shatrughan Sinha.

In a post on X, Singh thanked the BJP leadership for his candidature but added that he will not be able to contest from Asansol “due to some reason”, even as he did not specify the reason behind his decision.

भारतीय जनता पार्टी के शीर्ष नेतृत्व को दिल से आभार प्रकट करता हु।
पार्टी ने मुझ पर विश्वास करके आसनसोल का उम्मीदवार घोषित किया लेकिन किसी कारण वश में आसनसोल से चुनाव नहीं लड़ पाऊंगा…@JPNadda

— Pawan Singh (@PawanSingh909) March 3, 2024

Singh's candidature had drawn criticism from the TMC, which is in power in West Bengal. It alleged that many of his songs were crude and depicted women, including those from the state, in a vulgar way.