Comedian Shyam Rangeela's Lok Sabha nomination from Varanasi cancelled
Shyam Rangeela wrote on X: “It was decided that I won't be allowed to contest from Varanasi, now it is clear"
Comedian Shyam Rangeela's nomination as a Lok Sabha candidate from Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi seat has been cancelled, according to the Election Commission.
“It was decided that I won't be allowed to contest from Varanasi, now it is clear. My heart is definitely broken, but my spirit is not,” Shyam Rangeela wrote on X. Follow full coverage of the Lok Sabha elections here.
“Thank you all for your support. I request the media and well-wishers to please not call at this moment, whatever information I have, I will continue to provide here. Perhaps, I don't feel like talking for a while now.”
In another post he claimed that 27 nominations were submitted on Tuesday, of which 32 have been rejected today. “I feel like laughing at the Election Commission, but should I laugh? Or should I cry?” he asked. Follow full coverage of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 here.
The development comes a day after Shyam Rangeela, who had put himself forward as a candidate against Narendra Modi from Varanasi, alleged that he was not allowed to file his nomination papers to contest the polls.
Rangeela, who claims that he had been trying to file his nomination papers since May 10, also alleged that he was not allowed to enter the Varanasi district magistrate's office on Tuesday, the day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi filed his nomination papers.
“They can reject my papers. But at least, take the documents," Rangeela wrote in a social media post on Tuesday. He was allowed to submit his nomination papers in the evening.
Also Read | Why is comedian Shyam Rangeela contesting against PM Modi from Varanasi Lok Sabha seat?
May 14 was the last day of filing nomination for Varanasi seat which is going to polls in the seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha Elections on June 1.
Who is Shyam Rangeela?
Shyam Rangeela hails from Rajasthan. He was born in Hanumangarh in 1994. His real name is Shyam Sundar.
He rose to fame after he took part in the Great Indian Laughter Challenge show in 2017 but was ousted from the show for mimicking Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi.
In 2022, Shyam Rangeela joined the Aam Aadmi Party in Rajasthan. Without any post in the party, he was allowed to work for the party independently.
Earlier this month, Shyam Rangeela, announced that he will contest the Lok Sabha elections 2024 as an independent candidate from Varanasi against the prime minister.
In a video message posted on X (formerly Twitter), Shyam Rangeela mimicked PM Modi's “one should get a response in their own language” comments. He said he is coming to Varanasi to give the PM “an answer in his own language”.