A day after the controversial BJP MLA from Khanpur Pranav Singh ‘Champion’ had kicked up a row by launching an attack on the party MP from Haridwar Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and demanding his replacement for a local leader in the upcoming Lok Sabha poll, the MLA softened stance and said that being a soldier of the saffron brigade, he would work for whosoever the party sends to contest from the seat.

Known for his penchant to stoke rows, the voluble MLA   had called the sitting MP from Haridwar a ‘Pravasi’ who came to seek votes just before the election while ignoring the constituency throughout his stint while addressing a meeting on Sunday.

He had further poured ridicule on the projects the MP had laid foundation stones for. He had alleged that none of them  was taking shape. He further said that the MP had done nothing for the Laksar area of the district. 

As expected, the MLA’s comment on the MP had spawned strong reactions from the BJP leaders, including the MLA  from Rural Haridwar Swami Yatiswarananda.

However, on Monday, ‘Champion’ said that he would abide by whatever the party decides regarding the candidate. “I will work hard for the person the party chooses  for the Haridwar seat,” he said. 

Observers say that ‘Champion’ is strongly pitching for his wife Devyani Singh to be the BJP candidate for the seat.

“Hence his attack on Nishank. He has made his preference quite clear in public. However, the saffron party brass is most unlikely to fall in line as it has already declared that the sitting MPs are its first preference,” said an observer.