SP fields ex-BSF constable Tej Bahadur Yadav against Modi

The Samajwadi Party on Monday nominated former BSF constable Tej Bahadur Yadav, who was dismissed after complaining about the quality of food, as its candidate against Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi.

The SP, which is in an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal, had earlier declared Shalini Yadav as its candidate from Varanasi, while the Congress has renominated Ajai Rai.

"I was sacked for raising the issue of corruption. My sole objective will be to strengthen and eliminate corruption in the forces," Yadav told reporters when asked about the SP decision to field him.

Yadav will be challenging Modi in Varanasi constituency of Uttar Pradesh, an SP leader said.

The former Border Security Force (BSF) soldier had uploaded a video on social media in 2017, complaining that poor quality food was being served to the troops in the icy, mountainous region along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. He was later dismissed on the charge of indiscipline.

Varanasi will go to polls in the seventh phase of the Lok Sabha election on May 19 and the last date for filing nomination is Monday (April 29).