Comedian Raju Srivastava returns SP Lok Sabha ticket

Raju Srivastava was given the party ticket last year and had already started his election campaign. File Photo

Stand up comedian Raju Srivastava on Tuesday returned the Samajwadi Party (SP) Lok Sabha ticket to contest from Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh saying he was not getting enough support from the local units of the ruling party.

Mr. Srivastava was given the party ticket last year and had already started his election campaign.

Sources said Mr. Srivastava was unhappy with the local leaders who had refused to promote him and help him expand base. 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

IANS that the party too was waiting for the comedian to call it a day as the contest on each seat had become important.