Patna, May 16 (IANS): Bhojpuri star Pawan Singh has said that he will not withdraw his candidature from Bihar's Karakat Lok Sabha seat at any cost.

The actor-politician made the remarks on Wednesday after senior BJP leader and Bihar minister Prem Kumar said that Singh should withdraw his nomination otherwise the party will take action against him.

Interacting with media persons in Karakat, Singh said: "I will not withdraw my nomination... there is no point in returning from here. I am an artist, not a criminal against whom the BJP will take action against me. This is India and everyone here has the right to live a free life... No matter what anyone says, Pawan Singh will contest elections from Karakat at any cost."

Singh is contesting as an independent candidate from the Karakat parliamentary constituency. His mother Pratima Singh has also filed the nomination paper from the same seat as an independent candidate.

About his mother's nomination from the same seat, the actor-politician said it is just part of a strategy.

"I will contest the Lok Sabha election... and will win because the people of Karakat have made up their mind," he said.

The presence of Pawan Singh has made the Karakat contest triangular.

The NDA has fielded Upendra Kushwaha from the Karakat seat while Mahagathbandhan has nominated CPI-ML's Rajaram Singh Kushwaha.

The BJP had given the ticket to Pawan Singh to contest from Asansol in West Bengal but he refused. Later, the Bhojpuri star filed his nomination from Karakat on May 9.

The polling in Karakat will be held in the seventh phase on June 1.