Shatrughan Hints At Contesting From Patna Sahib In 2019 LS Polls

Patna: Disgruntled BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha today hinted that he would contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Patna Sahib constituency, from where he had won in 2014, "even if the situation is otherwise".

Sinha, who served as a Union minister in the NDA government of A B Vajpayee, is a Lok Sabha member from his native Patna Sahib seat for the second consecutive term.

Replying to a question, the actor-turned-politician, who was here to attend the marriage ceremony of RJD chief Lalu Prasad's son Tej Pratap Yadav, told PTI, "The location (of the constituency) will be the same, even if the situation is otherwise." After his barrage of attacks on the current BJP leadership and firing salvos at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it is hotly debated whether Sinha would be fielded by the BJP in the 2019 general election.

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Popularly known as "Bihari babu", Sinha is at loggerheads with the party leadership ever since he was ignored during the 2015 Bihar Assembly election.

After he shared the dais at an event in Patna with former Union minister Yashwant Sinha, who quit the BJP recently after consistently attacking Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, through a tweet, had made an oblique dig at him, saying the "shatru" (enemy) of the saffron party should quit, instead of waiting for expulsion.

Sinha attended the marriage ceremony of Prasad' son here last night.

"We are family friends. Visiting each other on such an occasion is part of our sanskar (tradition)," he said, when asked if the visit had any hidden political message.

"It has emotional value and no politics should be read into it," Sinha said, while adding, "At least for now." Sinha had also visited Prasad at the Ranchi jail, where the RJD chief was lodged after being convicted in fodder scam cases. He had yesterday congratulated Prasad on his son's marriage and for getting a six-week provisional bail on medical grounds. PTI