I will contest, but not as an Independent: Fernandes

Veteran socialist leader George Fernandes, whose JD-U denied him a ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls, Tuesday said he would contest the elections on the nomination of a party and not as an Independent candidate in Bihar.

Veteran socialist leader George Fernandes, whose Janata Dal-United (JD-U) denied him a ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls, Tuesday said he would contest the elections on the nomination of a party and not as an Independent candidate in Bihar.

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He, however, refused to name the party that would give him the ticket for contesting from the Muzaffarpur constituency. Last week, Fernandes announced he would fight the polls as an Independent candidate.

"I will not contest as an Independent. I will contest as a party candidate. I will reveal the party name at a right moment," Fernandes told newspersons here soon after he arrived from New Delhi.

The JD-U denied him ticket on grounds of his "advancing years and failing health". But he said he was fit. "I am healthy and ready to contest from Muzaffarpur."

Without naming anybody in the JD-U, he said some people were behind spreading rumours that Fernandes was not well and cannot contest elections. "It is a big lie, I am healthy."

Fernandes, known for his fiery oratory, was elected from Muzaffarpur for the first time in 1977 when he was behind bars, after being jailed during the Emergency.