The Bharatiya Janata Party has officially named Dinesh Singh as its candidate for the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat, a constituency historically associated with the Gandhi family.

The announcement of Singh’s name for Rae Bareli constituency brings to an end the speculations surrounding BJP’s choice for this significant electoral battleground.

Scheduled to file his nomination alongside BJP leaders and supporters on Friday, Dinesh Singh’s entry into the electoral fray adds an intriguing dimension to the upcoming contest in Rae Bareli.

While there had been speculations regarding the potential candidacy of Varun Gandhi to challenge the Congress stronghold, BJP’s decision to field Dinesh Singh has clarified the strategy of the party for this key constituency.

Dinesh Singh’s political journey began from the Congress party. He first entered the political arena as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) in 2010 and later secured a second term in 2016. However, in 2018, he made the significant move to join the BJP.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Singh unsuccessfully contested against Sonia Gandhi from Rae Bareli, losing by a margin of 1.67 lakh votes. Undeterred, he continued his political career with the BJP and was elected MLC once again in 2022.

Notably, Dinesh Singh, belonging to the Thakur community, currently serves as a minister of state with independent charge in the Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh. His nomination underscores the BJP’s strategic approach in Rae Bareli, as the party gears up for a formidable electoral battle in the fifth phase of the upcoming elections.

Rae Bareli, a key constituency in Uttar Pradesh politics, is slated for voting in the fifth phase of the elections.