UP Assembly polls: Avtar Singh Bhadana says will fight from Jewar seat

Gurjar leader Avtar Singh Bhadana on Thursday announced he will fight the Uttar Pradesh assembly poll from Jewar as a Rashtriya Lok Dal candidate, amid speculation that he will take back nomination as he is COVID-19 infected.

Party sources had earlier in the day said that he would withdraw his nomination and new candidate would be declared Friday.

Bhadana, the sitting MLA from Meerapur seat in Muzaffarnagar, had recently quit the BJP and joined the RLD, which is fighting the election in alliance with the Samajwadi Party.

The 64-year-old Gurjar leader had earlier this week filed his nomination from Jewar which goes to polls on February 10 during the first phase of UP assembly elections.

"Our ancestors have a glorious history, no matter what the field! They have fought for the society, the poor and their rights with utmost valour. There were initially symptoms of COVID-19 but RTPCR report is negative. I will fight the election for us," Bhadana tweet late Thursday night.

"Bhadana has informed the RLD high command that he will not be able to contest the poll because he is infected with coronavirus at the moment," an RLD source had told PTI earlier in the day.

"The RLD is considering his replacement for the Jewar seat and the candidate will be declared on Friday," the source had added.

BJP's Dhirendra Singh currently represents Jewar in the UP assembly.

Bhadana, a native of Haryana, had earlier been in the Congress and is a four-time Lok Sabha MP.