NEW DELHI/ARA, Oct. 1 -- Bhojpuri actor and singer Pawan Singh on Tuesday met Union home minister Amit Shah and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president JP Nadda, and said he was never away from the BJP, indicating his return to the party over a year after he was expelled for contesting against a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate in the Lok Sabha polls. Singh, accompanied by BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde and party secretary Rituraj Sinha, also called on Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) chief Upendra Kushwaha, a BJP ally, at the latter's Delhi residence, in a move seen as an attempt to reconcile with the senior leader, who had attributed his poll loss to Singh. "My heart still beats for the BJP as I was never away from it. We'll uproot everyone in the coming assembly elections..." Singh told HT. Party insiders said that Singh's discussions with Shah and Nadda were not limited to optics but also touched upon his political role ahead of the assembly polls, which are slated to be held next month. Singh, who contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as an independent, was instrumental in Kushwaha's defeat from Bihar's Karakat constituency. CPI(M-L)'s Raja Ram Singh won the seat, defeating Pawan Singh by a margin of 105,858 votes. Kushwaha, who came third, had blamed the BJP and the Bhojpuri star for his defeat. "Pawan ji is in the BJP and will be in the BJP. Kushwaha ji has given blessings. In the upcoming election, Pawan ji will work for the NDA as a BJP worker," Tawde told reporters. A popular Bhojpuri actor, Singh's possible return to the BJP will give a boost to the party's prospects in Shahabad region (comprising Bhojpur, Buxar, Kaimur and Shahabad districts), where the NDA could win only 2 out 22 seats in the 2020 assembly polls. RLM's general secretary Ram Pukar Sinha said that all the differences between Singh and Kushwaha are over after the Tuesday meeting. "Singh touched Kushwaha ji's feet and that gesture is enough to forget the past. We'll fight together to ensure NDA's victory at over 225 seats in Bihar. Singh's strong fanfare will add tempo to our mission, especially in Shahabad reason - which couldn't give expected results in last assembly elections," Sinha said. Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had fielded Pawan Singh from Asansol in West Bengal, but soon nudged him to withdraw following allegations that his music video and songs depicted Bengali women in a vulgar manner. After denied ticket in Bihar, Singh, who belongs to the upper caste Rajput community, contested as an independent, leading to his expulsion from the BJP. Ranu Singh, elder brother of Pawan Singh, said: "It is certain that he wants to be the NDA candidate from Bhojpur. Let us see what party (BJP) takes the decision." Former Union minister RK Singh also supported Singh's possible return. "He should return to the party. The organisation will determine what role he will play," the former minister said. On whether he would contest the upcoming assembly polls, the senior leader it was "for the party to decide." Political analysts believe Singh could be fielded from Ara seat in the upcoming assembly polls, which are slated to be held in October-November this year. "An NDA stronghold, the seat (Ara) has been held by five-time BJP legislator Amrendra Pratap Singh since 2000. Replacing him with Pawan Singh would be a bold move as the Bhojpuri star's popularity and cultural connect could help consolidate votes in the region. Former Union minister Raj Kumar Singh, who lost the seat in last Lok Sabha elections, is also supporting the Bhojpuri singer this time," Dhirendra Kumar, a Bihar-based political analyst, said. "The meeting was more than a courtesy call as it marked the first step towards Singh's formal return to the NDA and a possible debut in the Bihar assembly from Ara."...