NEW DELHI: Former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has in recent weeks made a series of remarks that have drawn attention to his political positioning, relationships and public disagreements.A six-time Lok Sabha MP, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has represented three parliamentary constituencies in Uttar Pradesh’s Devipatan region. However, the BJP did not field him in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections following allegations made by six female wrestlers. Instead, the party nominated his son, Karan Bhushan Singh, from Kaiserganj. Karan Bhushan Singh won the seat and continues to serve as its Member of Parliament.His latest comments on Thursday, describing his relationship with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav as “personal” while ruling out contesting the upcoming elections, came a day after Yadav said several MLAs from the BJP-led ruling camp were in touch with the SP. News agency PTI reported that Singh said he and Yadav were related, that he had earlier been an MP from the SP, and that his praise for the SP chief was “not political”.
Akhilesh equation: ‘Personal’, but not political
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s remarks came after Akhilesh Yadav, on Wednesday, said that “many” MLAs from the ruling camp were in contact with the SP but that the party did not want to make promises it could not fulfil. Yadav also said his existing alliance would continue and that winnability would be the basis for seat allocation, according to PTI.Against that backdrop, Singh’s clarification that he remains in the BJP while Yadav is an SP leader offered a distinction between his personal equation with the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and formal political alignments.
Patanjali row
Singh’s recent public statements have not been confined to electoral politics. In August, PTI reported that he criticised yoga guru Ramdev and questioned the direction of his “swadeshi” campaign, including remarks about Patanjali products. Singh challenged Ramdev to hold a decisive protest and also linked him to concerns over allegedly spurious ghee.On September 23, ANI reported that Ramdev responded by saying neither Patanjali’s cow ghee nor its medicines were “fake”, while defending the brand’s products and pricing. The exchange came days after Singh’s criticism, highlighting another public disagreement involving the former BJP MP.
Ram Temple donation row adds another layer
Singh has also made cryptic remarks concerning the controversy over alleged irregularities in Ram Temple donations in Ayodhya. Last month, he claimed to know about alleged misuse and theft of donations but said he was not in a position to disclose details, adding that he could speak if the circumstances allowed.The remarks came amid an ongoing investigation. A Supreme Court-mandated SIT subsequently filed a large charge sheet alleging 105 instances of unauthorised removal or concealment of cash during the donation-counting process. Singh, however, did not identify the individuals he was referring to.
Acquittal challenged
Singh’s recent statements also come after a Delhi magistrate acquitted him in the sexual-harassment case filed by women wrestlers. PTI reported that four wrestlers have challenged the acquittal, with a Delhi court seeking responses from Singh, former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar and Delhi Police.Taken together, his recent interventions—from his stated personal equation with Akhilesh Yadav to his criticism of Ramdev and comments on the Ayodhya donation controversy—have kept Singh in the public spotlight even as he says he will not contest the upcoming elections.(With agency inputs)
