The very public feud between Bhojpuri actor-turned-politician Pawan Singh and his estranged wife, Jyoti Singh, escalated dramatically this week after Jyoti announced her intention to run in the elections from Bihar’s Karakat Lok Sabha seat. The declaration, made at a press conference in Lucknow on Wednesday, has turned a personal dispute into a full-blown political battle.
Jyoti Singh launched a scathing attack on her husband, who recently contested from the same constituency, accusing him of neglecting the area since his defeat in the 2024 general elections.
Jabs at Pawan Singh’s Long Association with the BJP
Responding to her husband’s earlier claims that her actions were politically motivated, Jyoti Singh took a sharp jab at Pawan Singh’s long-standing association with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“Pawan has worked as a star campaigner for the (BJP) party for 15 years,” Jyoti stated, as quoted by news agency ANI. “In those 15 years, he hasn’t been able to secure a ticket for himself.”
She further challenged his political standing when asked about seeking a BJP ticket herself. “How can I possibly approach him and ask him to get me a BJP ticket? First, he should secure a ticket for himself,” she asserted.
‘Betrayal’ of Karakat Voters and a Conditional Withdrawal
Jyoti Singh explained that her decision to contest was rooted in the actor’s alleged abandonment of the constituency. “I want to contest elections from Karakat (Bihar) because Pawan has not visited that area even once since he ran for the Lok Sabha from that seat. The hopes and emotions of the people who voted for him have been betrayed,” she said.
However, she offered a dramatic condition for withdrawing her candidacy: public acceptance by Pawan Singh as his wife. “If he accepts me as his wife, I will refuse to contest the elections even today,” she promised. “If he also imposes the condition that I not meet his family, I am ready for that too. But the condition is that he accepts me as his wife.”
The Origin of the Spat and Pawan Singh’s Response
The ongoing high-level spat began recently when Jyoti Singh visited Pawan Singh’s residence, publicly broke down, and made serious allegations of infidelity against the actor. This was followed by a social media statement from Pawan Singh.
Earlier this week, Pawan Singh dismissed his wife’s claims, implying a political conspiracy behind her actions. “Our case has been going on in the court for the last 3-4 years… Why did you (wife Jyoti Singh) show affection only today?… What kind of affection is this? We can only call it politics that you want to trouble me,” he told reporters on October 8, as reported by ANI.
He alleged that the controversy was engineered following his recent high-profile meetings with top BJP leaders, including Amit Shah, JP Nadda, and Bihar election in-charge Vinod Tawde. Pawan Singh affirmed his commitment to the party, saying, “On the direction of the BJP election in charge of the Bihar Assembly, Vinod Tawade, we will strengthen NDA for the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar.”