Even as BJP is grappling to finalise its candidate from Varanasi, the mafia-turned-MlA Mukhtar Ansari, who is in jail in connection with the murder of a BJP MlA, Krishnanand Rai, threw his hat in the ring and announced his candidature from this holy city.
"Mukhtar will contest as Quami Ekta Dal's (QED) candidate from Varanasi instead of Ghosi announced earlier," Afzal Ansari president QED told The Pioneer on Tuesday. Mukhtar’s wife Afshan was earlier declared as candidate from Varanasi. "Afshan was candidate against BJP’s Murli Manohar Joshi. But as now it is more or less confirmed that Narendra Modi would contest from Varanasi we have decided to pit Mukhtar against BJP’s prime ministerial candidate," Afzal said.
In 2009, Mukhtar had contested from Varanasi on a BSP ticket and lost to BJP’s Murli Manohar Joshi by around 17,000 votes. Mukhtar had established the QED and is currently the party MlA from Mau. In 2012 Assembly elections, the QED, with five other smaller parties under the banner of Ekta Manch, had contested 43 seats and won only two seats. Mukhtar won from Mau while his brother Sibgatulla won from Mohammadabad in Ghazipur.
The Ekta Manch is expected to contest all the 80 lok Sabha seats under the banner of Ekta Manch with QED contesting 10 seats. Afzal, himself had contested 2009 elections on a BSP ticket from Ghazipur. He lost to SP's Radhey Mohan Singh by 69,260 seats. This time he is QED candidate from Ballia.