Lucknow: Denied a ticket from the Kaiserganj Lok Sabha constituency in 2024, Devi Patan mandal strongman Brijbhushan Sharan Singh drew a massive show of support on Thursday as he returned to his home region after being acquitted in a sexual harassment case.The former Wrestling Federation of India chief and six-term MP arrived in the morning at Ayodhya international airport in a private aircraft. Thousands of supporters gathered outside the terminal with a brass band, conch shells, drums, fireworks, garlands and flower petals, chanting “sher aaya, sher aaya” as he stepped out.Singh waved to the crowd, accepted greetings and thanked supporters, accompanied by his son Prateek Bhushan Singh, the BJP MLA from Gonda.Supporters, many carrying maces in a symbolic display of devotion to Hanuman, joined Singh as he climbed atop an open SUV and proceeded towards Hanuman Garhi temple in Ayodhya to offer prayers. A long convoy of motor vehicles followed, leading to traffic snarls and bottlenecks between Darshan Nagar and Lata Chowk. Along the route, supporters continued to shower flower petals and throw garlands towards his vehicle.The mobilisation was projected by organisers as a ‘Vijayotsav’ and an assertion of Singh’s continuing influence ahead of the assembly elections. “The rally was organised as our leader had been sidelined for almost three years. We were confident he would come out clean,” said Amresh Prajapati, a loyalist from Gonda who circulated visuals of the turnout throughout the day on social media.By around 1 pm, Singh’s cavalcade reached Nandini Nagar Mahavidyalaya in Nawabganj, Gonda, a college he founded in 1994. Organisers estimated that 15,000 to 20,000 people were present. In Gonda, hundreds of saints and seers also joined what was billed as the Satyamev Jayate rally.Addressing the gathering, Singh said he refused to “bow down” to end the controversy, arguing it would have left a lasting “taint” on his character. He repeated his earlier statement that he would die by suicide if found guilty, and said any move by the women wrestlers to approach the high court would only bring him more publicity.In Vishnoharpur village, where Singh lives with his family, supporters continued celebrations for a third day, distributing over 5,000 kg of sweets and setting off fireworks nightly.
