The BJP yesterday dropped its Kaiserganj sitting MP Brij Bhushan Singh, and instead named his son Karan Bhushan Singh as the Lok Sabha candidate from the constituency in Uttar Pradesh.
Bri Bhushan Singh is accused of sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour during his tenure as the President of Wrestling Federation of India.
On BJP's decision to field his son Karan Bhushan Singh as its candidate from Kaiserganj, the #MeToo-accused said he was thankful to the party.
"I thank the party for this, everyone is excited in the area about Karan contesting the election," he said.
Singh has been accused of touching women athletes inappropriately on the pretext of checking their breath, groping them, asking inappropriate personal questions, and demanding sexual favours.
The top wrestlers, also including Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang Punia and Commonwealth Games gold medalist Vinesh Phogat, hit the streets last year to seek action against Singh.
Brij Bhushan Singh, who stepped down from the post amid a raging protest against him over the sexual harassment allegations by women wrestlers, has denied the charges.
For the ruling BJP, it had been a tightrope act on an influential party MP.
The BJP understands the political influence the six-time MP holds in the area. Therefore, it has chosen his son as his replacement, sources said.
Sources in the BJP earlier told NDTV that the party leadership had spoken to him on the issue and that the heavyweight politician was still insisting on a poll pass.
His elder son Pratik Bhushan Singh is an MLA. Karan Bhushan Singh currently heads the Uttar Pradesh wrestling body.
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