Times Now Summit 2024: When Rajnath Singh's Lok Sabha Ticket Was Cancelled At The 11th Hour | A Backstory

times now summit 2024: when rajnath singh’s lok sabha ticket was cancelled at the 11th hour | a backstory

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, while speaking at the Times Now Summit 2024, shared a rarely known-interesting story from 1970’s when his Lok Sabha ticket was cancelled at the 11th hour. “I became an MLA when I was 25. But before that I was given a ticket to contest Lok Sabha election but wo cut gya,” Rajnath Singh said during an open session with Times Now Group Editor-in-Chief Navika Kumar.

“I was in jail for almost 18 months during Emergency. I was arrested for first time when I worked as a lecturer of Physics at K.B. Post-Graduate College in Mirzapur. I was arrested as I was the convener of the district during the JP movement. I alongwith my two friends were taken to Mirzapur jail and put in solitary cell. From my solitary cell, I used to raise slogans, which was repeated by other inmates in their barracks. After two-and-half month, I was transferred to central jail from where I was released,” he said.

“After release, I went home and spent time in my room. One day, I received a message from a worker informing me that I have been announced candidate,” he recalled.

Rajnath Singh said that he filed his nomination within two days.

“I was given authority letter after I was called to Delhi. However, at the 11th hour, the magistrate informed me about the cancellation. Faquir Ali Ansari, who was a industrialist from Bhadohi, got the authority letter, he got the symbol,”

The senior BJP leader said that he there was anger among his supporters, but he did not let the incident affect him.

“Parmathma ne mujhe uss samhe bhi patience diya tha (I was patient at that time too). I took a mike in my hand and said that now I can withdraw my nomination as the deadline has passed. Unfortunately, my name will remain in the ballot paper. Since I did not ask for a symbol, I was given the symbol of Independent candidate.”

“Maine bola ki agar kisi ne mere naam pe mohar lagayi, tho mai samjhunga ki woh mere mastak par kalank ka tikka lag rha hai (I told the crowd that if anyone votes for me, I would consider it as taint on myself,” he said.

The statement came to the knowledge of former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh who was so “impressed” with the words of Rajnath Singh that he backed the latter’s candidature in the assembly elections, the BJP leader said.

Rajnath Singh contested legislative assembly elections from Mirzapur in 1977. He successfully fought the election and was elected as a Member of Legislative Assembly from Mirzapur.