Fernandes leaves for Muzaffarpur, likely to contest

JD-U leader George Fernandes, denied the party ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls, on Tuesday left with hundreds of supporters to Muzaffarpur where he is likely to announce his candidature in defiance of the party leadership.

Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader George Fernandes, denied the party ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls, on Tuesday left with hundreds of supporters to Muzaffarpur where he is likely to announce his candidature in defiance of the party leadership.

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Supporters of Fernandes were packed in nearly 100 vehicles as he left for Muzaffarpur, where he will hold road shows and meet friends over the next two days, an activist close to him said.

"Fernandes is likely to announce he will contest in Muzaffarpur," a JD-U leader said.

Earlier, Fernandes received a hero's welcome from hundreds of cheering supporters upon his arrival from New Delhi.

He was to have marched to the residence of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to know why he was not fielded in the election. He cancelled it when he was told that the chief minister had left for New Delhi.

Among those who welcomed Fernandes at the airport were former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra and rebel JD-U Rajya Sabha MP Digvijay Singh, who too has been denied ticket by the party. The JD-U said it did not want to field Fernandes, 78, because of his alleged ill health.