Lucknow: In a move that is bound to ruffle feathers in the political circles of Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party has changed its candidate from Varanasi. Nearly a week after fielding Shalini Yadav as the joint SP-BSP-RLD candidate from the constituency for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2019, the mahagathbandhan has now replaced her with former Border Security Force (BSF) constable Tej Bahadur Yadav.

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Varanasi is among the most coveted seats in the poll fray, being represented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Tej Bahadur, though being assigned the SP ticket today, has been campaigning in the constituency since the past month. The ex-BSF jawan's candidature from Varanasi is likely to turn the electoral battle intriguing. With national security at core of the BJP's poll plank, the PM is now being contested by an ex-BSF jawan who was expelled from the forces after airing his complaint related to alleged substandard food and internal graft in the public.

After being expelled from the BSF, Tej Bahadur has launched a tirade against the Narendra Modi government, accusing it of using the forces only for political gains. Speaking to reporters earlier in the month, Tej Bahadur said his move to challenged Modi from Varanasi is aimed at furthering his agitation against the ruling regime. Apart from "exposing the government's pro-Army stand", said the former jawan, he has also reached out to the agrarian voters and asked them to cast their mandate against the "anti-farmer policies" of the Centre.

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