BSP fields UP strongman Dhananjay Singh's wife from Jaunpur

• BSP releases fifth list of Lok Sabha election candidates
• Srikala Singh to contest from Jaunpur, replacing her husband Dhananjay Singh
• Shiv Prasad Yadav named candidate for Mainpuri constituency, among other key nominations

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has unveiled its fifth list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, announcing key names for various constituencies. Notably, Srikala Singh, the wife of former MP Dhananjay Singh, will contest from Jaunpur. Dhananjay Singh was recently sentenced to seven years in jail in connection with a 2020 case.

Additionally, the BSP has made changes in its candidate lineup, replacing Gulshan Dev Shakya with Shiv Prasad Yadav in Mainpuri. Yadav will face tough competition from the Samajwadi Party's Dimple Yadav and BJP's Jaiveer Singh, a state government minister.

One of the significant announcements is Athar Jamal Lari's candidacy from the Varanasi seat, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is contesting as the BJP candidate. Other notable candidates include Muslim Khan from Budaun, Chhotey Lal Gangwar from Bareilly, and Udayraj Verma from Sultanpur.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BSP, in alliance with the Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal, faced defeat against the BJP, which secured 62 seats along with its ally Apna Dal (S).