Stand-up comedian and actor Raju Srivastava on Tuesday opted out of contesting elections to Kanpur seat in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
Srivastava cited non-cooperation from the Samajwadi Party as the reason for his withdrawal from the poll fray.
I was spending almost five days a week in Kanpur, but if the city unit does not support me, I will have to return my ticket, said the actor.
He added that he is receiving love and admiration of people because of his comic timing. “So, it’s better I stick to that…I want to return my Lok Sabha ticket to SP and say thanks,” said Srivastava.
Srivastava was given the party ticket last year and had already started his election campaign.
While the SP leadership, including party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, apparently asked him to stay put he decided to quit.
A senior leader told that the party too was waiting for the comedian to call it a day as the contest on each seat had become important.
Srivastava, who was born in Kanpur, later shifted to Mumbai. Kanpur Lok Sabha constituency is presently represented by Union Minister and senior Congress leader Sriprakash Jaiswal.
