BJP candidate Kunwar Sarvesh Singh from the Moradabad Lok Sabha seat passed away on Saturday evening. He breathed his last at AIIMS, Delhi at the age of 71 at 6:30 PM. Kunwar Sarvesh Singh was hospitalized ever since he was given the party ticket.
Kunwar Sarvesh Singh was battling cancer. The elections for this seat were conducted on 19th April, as part of the first phase of Lok Sabha elections. Prime Minister Modi expressed his condolences, stating, 'His loss is an irreplaceable one for the party.'
Will the election be canceled?
Following the passing of Sarvesh Singh, a question has become the topic of conversation among political circles and the public alike. Since the elections on the Moradabad seat have concluded, the question arises whether the polls should be held again. Will Friday's election be annulled due to the candidate's demise? Is there a possibility of a by-election for this Lok Sabha seat? With the untimely passing of a candidate, what options might be considered?
What do the experts say?
There is much discussion on whether to consider the recent election on the Moradabad Lok Sabha seat as void. Political experts believe that drawing conclusions so quickly is premature. They argue that a wait-and-see approach is the only option until vote counting. They posit that voting on the Moradabad seat has concluded, and it's not yet clear whether Sarvesh Singh or any other candidate has won or lost. If Sarvesh Singh ends up losing, then these questions will naturally resolve themselves.
Options will emerge post-vote counting, not now
Senior journalist Pramod Goswami explains the rationale in detail, 'As the voting process for the Moradabad seat is complete, I don't see an immediate possibility of a by-election. However, if Sarvesh Singh wins in the counting, then a by-election becomes likely. If on counting day, Sarvesh Singh loses and another candidate is declared the winner, that person will become the MP, and there would be no need for a by-election. The only situation where a by-election would be necessary is if Sarvesh Singh is declared the winner since then he would not be present to represent his parliamentary constituency, and hence the election would be nullified, requiring a new poll.'
Kunwar Sarvesh Singh's political journey
Kunwar Sarvesh Singh was born on December 22, 1951. He first contested the assembly elections from the Thakurdwara seat on a BJP ticket in 1991. Subsequently, he was elected to the assembly four times in a row. After winning in 1991, he also won in 1993, 1996, and 2002. However, he faced defeat at the hands of a BSP candidate in 2007. BJP leader Sarvesh Singh's son, Sushant Singh, is the BJP MLA from Bijnor's Badhapur assembly constituency.
BJP nominated him from Moradabad seat for the fourth time
The BJP nominated Sarvesh Singh to contest from the Moradabad Lok Sabha seat for the fourth time. In 2009, he contested against former cricketer Azharuddin but lost. In 2014, he faced SP candidate Dr. S.T. Hasan and won that election. He also contested in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections but was defeated.
What is the political equation of the Moradabad seat?
Moradabad Lok Sabha constituency includes six assembly segments. The district has a literacy rate of 56.77%. Among them, the literacy rate for males is 64.83%, and for females, it is 47.86%. Control over the Moradabad Lok Sabha seat is often said to be in the hands of the Muslim voters. This area consists of 52.14% Hindu and 47.12% Muslim populations. In 2014, the BJP won the Moradabad Lok Sabha seat for the first time. In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP won 71 seats overall and made a clean sweep in Western Uttar Pradesh. Kunwar Sarvesh Kumar defeated his rival, SP's Dr. S.T. Hasan, by about 87,000 votes.
