lok-sabha-elections

Updated: Apr 16, 2019 17:01 IST

Actor-turned politician Shatrughan Sinha’s wife Poonam Sinha joined Samajwadi Party on Tuesday. Shatrughan, a two-time BJP lawmaker from Patna Sahib, had recently joined the Congress.

Dimple Yadav, wife of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, welcomed Ponnam Sinha into the party.

Poonam Sinha is likely to be SP’s candidate for the Lucknow seat to take on Union home minister Rajnath Singh. When asked about her candidature from Lucknow, Poonam Sinha avoided direct reply saying, “Will tell you tomorrow.” On being asked whether she would be contesting against Rajnath Singh, she said, “Koi baat nahi, acchi tarah se ladenge (It does not matter. I will fight strongly).”

Poonam Sinha is likely to file nomination on April 18. “Poonam Sinha ji will be the SP-BSP-RLD candidate from Lucknow. She will file nomination on April 18. We appeal to the Congress that do not field your candidate from here so that BJP can be defeated,” Ravidas Mehrotra, senior SP leader, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Also read: Would have loved to contest against PM Modi’: Shatrughan Sinha

Rajnath Singh filed his nomination from the Lucknow Lok Sabha seat on Tuesday. Lucknow is going to polls on May 6 along with a total of 51 constituencies across seven states in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha election.

Shatrughan Sinha joined the Congress on April 6. Just a few hours later, the Congress has named Sinha as its candidate from the Patna Sahib constituency against Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who is the BJP nominee from this seat.