Ahead of his speech at a public rally in Ghonda for the Delhi Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen touching the feet of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ravinder Singh Negi, sparking a moment of attention. The gesture occurred after Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva introduced the party’s candidates to the Prime Minister. As each candidate greeted Modi, several of them bent down and touched his feet in a traditional gesture of respect. However, when Ravinder Singh Negi attempted to do the same, Modi reciprocated by touching Negi’s feet three times, drawing widespread attention.
Following this, BJP’s Vishwas Nagar candidate, Om Prakash Sharma, also tried to touch Modi’s feet but was stopped midway. This moment is not the first time that Prime Minister Modi has returned the gesture of respect, as he has been seen reciprocating similarly at various events in the past.
Who is Ravinder Singh Negi, BJP’s Patparganj Candidate?
Ravinder Singh Negi, 45, is the BJP’s candidate from the Patparganj constituency for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. He is contesting against AAP’s Avadh Ojha ‘sir,’ a renowned UPSC coach, for the seat that was previously held by AAP leader Manish Sisodia. Sisodia had won this seat three times consecutively since 2013, but he is now contesting from Jangpura in the current election cycle.
Negi is no newcomer to Patparganj. He is a current MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) councillor from Vinod Nagar, which falls under the Patparganj constituency. His political presence and activities have recently garnered considerable media attention.
Controversies Surrounding Negi
Negi has found himself embroiled in controversy following videos that surfaced on social media, showing him taking a strong stance on religious and cultural issues. In these videos, Negi was seen allegedly instructing a dairy shop owner to change the name of his business to reflect that it was run by a Muslim. In other instances, he was filmed urging Hindu street vendors to place saffron flags on their carts, signaling support for Hindu religious sentiments.
Moreover, Negi made headlines in October 2024 and January 2025 when he was seen visiting butcher shops ahead of religious festivals, reportedly asking the shopkeepers to close their businesses as a sign of respect for Hindu sentiments during these important times. These actions have sparked both praise and criticism, with some seeing them as an effort to assert cultural identity, while others view them as politically charged actions.
Negi’s Political Journey
This is not Ravinder Singh Negi’s first attempt at the Patparganj seat. In the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections, he contested against Manish Sisodia and lost by a narrow margin of just 2 percent of the vote share. Despite the loss, Negi has remained an active political figure within the BJP. In the 2022 Delhi MCD elections, Negi secured a victory from the Vinod Nagar seat, defeating his AAP opponent by a margin of 2,311 votes.
Before his tenure as an MCD councillor, Negi held the position of Zila Mahamantri in the Delhi BJP unit, further solidifying his standing within the party. His growing prominence within the BJP has positioned him as a significant contender in the upcoming elections.
As Ravinder Singh Negi campaigns for the Patparganj seat, his role in the BJP and his political activities continue to attract both support and controversy. With a past marred by contentious actions and a close electoral defeat in 2020, Negi’s bid for the seat this time is bound to be one of the key political battles to watch in the Delhi Assembly elections. The recent incident at the Delhi rally, where Prime Minister Modi honored him with a reciprocal gesture of respect, highlights his growing political influence and the spotlight on his candidacy.
