LS polls: 76-year-old ascetic, who has lost 16 times, to contest from Mathura again

Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) [India] Apr 14 (ANI): Seventy-six-year-old Baba Phakkad Singh, who has unsuccessfully contested 16 elections, is all set to try his luck for the 17th time from Mathura Lok Sabha constituency.

"My guru instructed me to keep on fighting and said that I will win my 20th election. I am not afraid of successive defeats," he told ANI.

Having lost eight Assembly and an equal number of Lok Sabha bids, Singh said, "The only election issue for Mathura is its saline water. I want Mathura to get rid of saline water." He had to forfeit his deposit in each poll attempt.

Born in Bithoor, Kanpur, Singh came to Mathura at the age of 11 and became an ascetic. He said that he has rejected efforts by his family members to persuade him to come back to Bithoor and is not ready to leave Mathura.

Singh is also of the view that a Ram temple will be constructed in Ayodhya in the next five years. "Narendra Modi will become the Prime Minister again. A Ram temple will also be built in the next five years but I want it to happen peacefully without any bloodshed," he added.

The contest in Mathura Lok Sabha constituency is three-sided as BJP incumbent MP Hema Malini takes on Congress' Mahesh Pathak and RLD candidate Kunwar Narendra Singh. RLD is in alliance with SP and BSP in Uttar Pradesh.

Voting for the seat will take place in the second phase of the elections on April 18.