Brij Bhushan Calls Ties With Akhilesh Yadav Personal, Rules Out Contesting Elections
Former Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh clarified on Thursday in New Delhi that his relationship with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is personal rather than political, while ruling out contesting upcoming elections.
His remarks followed statements made by Yadav on Wednesday claiming that several MLAs from the BJP-led ruling alliance were in contact with the Samajwadi Party. Addressing the subsequent speculation, Singh stated that he and Yadav are related and noted that he had previously served as an MP from the Samajwadi Party, asserting that his praise for the SP chief was not political.
Singh emphasised that he remains with the BJP while Yadav leads the SP, drawing a line between his personal ties with the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and formal electoral alignments. On Wednesday, Yadav had claimed that many legislators from the ruling camp were in touch with his party, while noting that the SP did not want to make unfulfillable promises and that winnability would dictate seat distribution.
A six-time Lok Sabha MP, Singh previously represented three parliamentary constituencies in Uttar Pradesh's Devipatan region. The BJP did not nominate him for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections following allegations levelled by six female wrestlers. The party instead fielded his son, Karan Bhushan Singh, who won the Kaiserganj seat and currently serves as its Member of Parliament.
Singh has also drawn attention recently through other public disputes. In August, he publicly questioned yoga guru Ramdev's swadeshi campaign and Patanjali products, pointing to concerns over allegedly spurious ghee. Ramdev responded on September 23, denying the allegations and maintaining that Patanjali's ghee and medicines were genuine.
Singh also made statements regarding alleged irregularities in Ayodhya Ram Temple donations, claiming knowledge of misuse before a Supreme Court-mandated SIT filed a charge sheet citing 105 instances of unauthorised cash removal during donation counting.
Meanwhile, a Delhi magistrate's order acquitting Singh in the sexual harassment case filed by female wrestlers has been challenged by four wrestlers. A Delhi court has sought responses on the matter from Singh, former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar, and the Delhi Police.
