BJP 5th candidate list 2024: Will Varun Gandhi contest as independent after BJP drops him from Pilibhit?

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has not fielded Varun Gandhi from Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit seat for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2024. He is currently the sitting MP from this Lok Sabha constituency.

The BJP fielded Uttar Pradesh minister Jitin Prasada, instead of Gandhi, from the Pilibhit Lok Sabha constituency. Varun Gandhi’s mother Maneka will contest the Sultanpur seat, from where she is currently an MP.

Pilibhit seat has been represented by Varun Gandhi's mother Maneka Gandhi or him for over two decades.

Varun Gandhi had first won the Pilibhit seat in the 2009 Lok Sabha Elections as a BJP candidate. He was succeeded by Maneka Gandhi in 2014. He again won the seat in 2019 polls.

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Pilibhit is among the most high-profile seats in Uttar Pradesh which will go to the polls in the first phase on April 19. The nomination process already began on Wednesday.

Will Varun Gandhi now contest as Independent

Before the BJP released its fifth list, it was speculated whether Varun Gandhi will contest as an independent candidate in case he is not given a ticket to contest from Pilibhit constituency.

Some reports even suggested that he would contest the Lok Sabha polls either as an independent or a Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate. However, the Akhilesh Yadav-led SP announced Bhagwat Sharan Gangwar as the party’s candidate from Pilibhit on March 20.

Earlier this month, new agency PTI reported that Varun Gandhi's representatives have brought four sets of nomination papers for the Pilibhit seat in Uttar Pradesh. The MP's spokesperson, MR Malik, said on the directions of Gandhi, he has purchased four sets of nomination papers — two in Hindi and as many in English.

Notably, Varun Gandhi has been vocal against the BJP on several issues, including the Agnipath scheme, employment and health. Recently he shared dais with the BJP leaders and also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, news agency PTI reported.