Virendra Singh - SP's Candidate From Chandauli Constituency (image-facebook/Virendra Singh)
After releasing a list of 16 candidates, the Samajwadi Party released a second list with more candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. One of the candidates announced is Virendra Singh, representing the Chandauli constituency.
Originally from Chiraigaon, Varanasi, Virendra Singh has been active in the political world for three decades. Singh has travelled across the political landscape, switching his political affiliations with various parties over the years. His journey has finally ended with the Samajwadi Party (SP).
Having began his political career in 1996 from Chiraigaon assembly seat under the banner of the Congress party, Singh made a name for himself. His victory in the 2003 by-election on the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ticket further solidified his presence in the political arena.
However, Singh’s political journey witnessed several twists and turns as he made his way through different parties. His tenure with the BSP was followed by a stint with the Samajwadi Party, where he actively advocated for the party’s agenda and values.
In 2012, under the influence of Digvijay Singh, Virendra Singh returned to the Congress Party. However, he soon parted ways with the Congress after the 2012 elections. He rekindled his association with the BSP in 2017, although his dissatisfaction with the party led him to join the Samajwadi Party once again prior to the municipal elections.
Chandauli Lok Sabha constituency consists of five seats of the Uttar Pradesh assembly, including Mughalsarai, Sakaldiha, Syedaraja, Shivpur and Ajgara. In 2014, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Mahendranath Pandey won the seat, repeating the feat in 2019 after a close competition with SP candidate Sanjay Singh Chauhan.
The 2024 elections are expected to be challenging for SP. Speculations are rife that the party has fielded a Kshatriya candidate to make a dent in BJP’s vote bank. After the announcement, Singh expressed his sincere gratitude to the Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav. It remains to be seen whether Singh is able to defeat the BJP and the Samajwadi Party is able to once again take the Chandauli constituency under their wing.
