Shatrughan Sinha files nom papers from Patna Sahib

Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha on Monday filed his nomination papers as the Congress candidate from Patna Sahib, the Lok Sabha seat he is representing for the second consecutive term having won it on both occasions on BJPs ticket.

Sinha is locked in virtually a straight contest against Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad whom the BJP has fielded this time.

Donning his trademark sunglasses and full-sleeved kurta with an angavastram dyed in shades representative of the Congress flag, Sinha accomapnied by son Luv reached the collectorate in a grand procession.

Thousands of his supporters chanted the slogan 'Bihari Babu Zindabad' as the procession commenced from his residence at Kadam Kuan.

Sinha is also called the 'Bihari Babu'.

Sinha ended his nearly three decades long association with BJP earlier this month after remaining at loggerheads with the current party leadership for quite some time.

He had been calling the BJP leadership one man army and two man show an obvious dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah.

Huge turnout of supporters, friends and my dear residents of Patna as I moved from my Kadam Kuan residence through the streets of Patna for my nomination. My most heartfelt gratitude to all those who stepped out in my support and joined the procession in my roadshow. Jai Bihar, Sinha tweeted afterwards.

Altogether 37 candidates have filed their nomination papers for Patna Sahib, which goes to polls in the seventh and final phase of general elections on May 19.

Scrutiny of the papers will take place on Tuesday and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is May 2.

Other constituencies that go to polls in the final phase and the respective number of candidates to have filed nominations are 33 in Pataliputra, 36 in Nalanda, 29 in Jehanabad, 24 in Ara, 16 in Buxar, 37 in Karakat and 15 in Sasaram.