Sacked BSF Jawan & Varanasi Candidate Tej Bahadur Yadav Alleges Conspiracy After EC Sends Him Notice

New Delhi: The Election Commission on Tuesday served notice to the Samajwadi Party’s Varanasi candidate Tej Bahadur Yadav and directed him to procure a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Border Security Force (BSF). The EC asked Yadav to file his response by 11 am on May 1.

Yadav, a former BSF constable, was dismissed from service in 2017 after he released a video on the allegedly poor quality of food served to soldiers. As the candidate representing the SP-BSP opposition alliance in Uttar Pradesh, Yadav is locked in a high-stakes battle with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha constituency.

Speaking to News18, the candidate alleged conspiracy, saying that the Returning Officer had found nothing wrong in his nomination when he had earlier filed the papers.

Yadav alleged that the government was targeting him after he started receiving more support.

In 2017, the BSF had set up a court of inquiry against Yadav after he claimed that the dal served to the jawans was watery and the chapatis were burnt.

The Home Ministry had ordered an investigation into the incident, with the Prime Minister’s Office also seeking a report after the video had gone viral. Yadav was shifted out of his base at the Line of Control and was dismissed later on charges of indiscipline.

The SP had earlier named Shalini Yadav as its candidate from Varanasi but later fielded Yadav in what appears to be a tactical move, turning battle into a Jawan vs Chowkidar contest.