E-Paper
Congress suspends former MP Shakeel Ahmad
The Congress party suspended former Member of Parliament Shakeel Ahmad for contesting as an independent candidate from Madhubani Lok Sabha constituency.
The Congress party suspended former Member of Parliament Shakeel Ahmad for contesting as an independent candidate from Madhubani Lok Sabha constituency.
A letter signed by general secretary of the All India Congress Committee Motilal Vora said that Ahmed was suspended with “immediate effect” for “contesting as an Independent candidate from the Madhubani Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar against the party’s decision.”
The Congress, which is in a coalition with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Vikassheel Insan Party (VIP), among others in Bihar, had fielded Badri Purve, a nominee of the fledgling VIP.
However, Ahmad, a veteran Congress leader, who has represented the seat in the past, threw his hat in the ring as an independent. The CPI which had won Madhubani many times till the late 1990s issued a statement supporting Ahmed “in the interest of defeating the BJP”.
Former RJD heavyweight Mohd Ali Ashraf Fatmi, who had recently quit the party and filed nomination papers as a Bahujan Samaj Party candidate, withdrew the same on the last date in favour of the rebel Congress candidate.
Former legislator Bhavana Jha was also suspended for anti-party activities.
