While the clamour for a ‘stronger candidate’ against BJP's PM candidate Narendra Modi in Varanasi amid the suspense created by the Congress continues, senior party leader Rashid Alvi on Monday offered to contest from the prestigious seat.
At the same time, political outfit Quami Ekta Dal (QED) has written to SP, BSP and Congress, asking them to either lend support to its candidate mafia don-turned-MlA Mukhtar Ansari or field a joint candidate against Modi. AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal, who gave a drubbing to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit in December 2013 Assembly polls, is also contesting from the seat.
“For the first time, the idea of secular India is under threat.... I would request you to permit me to contest against Modi from Benares,” Alvi, a former AICC spokesman, said in a letter to party chief Sonia Gandhi.
AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh and Union Minister Anand Sharma have also offered to contest against Modi in Varanasi. Expressing confidence that Varanasi would support him to strengthen the secular Indian values, Alvi said the “victory of the Congress will be the victory of India.”
Noting that Varanasi still upholds the values of Indian subcontinent, he said that it has played a crucial role in forging Indian plural identity. “It belongs to all Hindus, Muslims, Jains and Buddhists. Mughal emperors used to visit Benaras to learn from the learned Brahmins.”
However, there are chances that the party could finally settle for a local candidate. Rajesh Mishra, who had represented the seat from 2004-2009 and Ajai Rai are the two local contenders for the party ticket for the constituency, which goes to polls on May 12.
On his part, senior QED leader Athar Zamal lari said the letter had been sent to the ‘secular’ parties on Saturday with the aim to defeat ‘communal’ BJP in the temple town of Varanasi. QED has other smaller political outfits in its fold such as Bharatiya Samaj Party, Rashtriya Parivartan Dal, Janvadi Party and Phullan Sena.
The SP has already rejected the proposal to field a joint candidate with the QED, saying, “We will not take support from any goonda, badmaash (hooligan).....” Ansari is at present lodged in jail in BJP MlA Krishnanand Rai murder case.