Lok Sabha polls: EC rejects Shyam Rangeela's nomination from Varanasi seat

Lok Sabha poll: Comedian Shyam Rangeela, who became an internet sensation in 2017 for his viral mimicry of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had filed his nomination papers from Varanasi seat

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: The Election Commission on Wednesday rejected the Lok Sabha nomination of comedian Shyam Rangeela, who had filed his papers from the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency as an independent candidate.

Rangeela said the Varanasi distrcit magistrate informed him that his nomination was rejected for "not having taken the oath," a process that he was "unaware" about.
 

"It was decided that I will not be allowed to contest from Varanasi, now it is clear. The heart is definitely broken, but the spirit is not broken," Rangeela said in a post on 'X' following the development.

His remarks were a reference to his earlier allegations against the poll body, claiming that he was not being allowed to file his nomination from the Uttar Pradesh seat, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a leading candidate. Varanasi goes to polls on June 1 in the final phase of elections. Candidates were given time to file their nominations for phase seven seats until May 14.

Rangeela earlier alleged discrimination by EC

Rangeela, who became an internet sensation in 2017 for his viral mimicry of Modi, claimed that the authorities are only accepting the nominations that "they want to."

Over the last few days, he initially alleged that his nomination was being obstructed, citing a "lack" of sufficient nominators, a requirement that Rangeela said "he met."

He eventually filed his nomination from the seat merely a couple of hours before the deadline ended. "After completing all the documentation and procedures and overcoming other hurdles, we are now on the verge of becoming an option for the people of Varanasi," he said.

Shyam Rangeela's political career

"Thank you all for your cooperation. I request the media and well-wishers to please not call now. Whatever information I have, I will keep sharing it here (on 'X'). Perhaps I don't feel like talking for a while now," the comedian remarked after his nomination was rejected.

To be clear, this year's Lok Sabha election is not Rangeela's poll debut. In 2022, he joined the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party. On his political bid, Rangeela has said in the past that the growing "intolerance towards satire and mimicry" of politicians in the last decade prompted him to join the field.

According to the Election Commission's website, a total of 17 nominations have been accepted by the poll body for the Varanasi constituency.