The Varanasi election got another twist in its tail as Zakira Jafri, who is fighting a legal battle against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi over 2002 riots, can contest from Varanasi.
lok Dal has offered Zakia Jafri to contest on the party ticket from Varanasi and even assured her that she only needs to file her nomination and the campaigning would be done by the party. Rashtriya lok Dal of Chaudhry Ajit Singh is different as this lok Dal is the original party formed by Chaudhry Charan Singh and RlD is a breakaway group.
lok Dal president Sunil Singh told reporters here on Wednesday that Zakia would be the only eligible secular candidate against Modi and it is the duty of the other secular parties to withdraw their candidate and support her.
‘’We have asked her just to file her nominations and she would not be required to campaign, which will be done entirely by the party,’’ Singh said and confirmed that Zakia Jafri was seriously considering to contest from Varanasi on lok Dal ticket.
Zakia Jafri is wife of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, who was burnt to death in his house in Gulbarga Society in Ahmedabad during the Gujarat riots of 2002. She is fighting a legal battle against Modi. She was the first to file a case against Modi and 62 others in the case that was known as Gulbarga society case.
Zakia Jafri,70,will make her decision in a day or two confirmed her family member from Ahmedabad. ‘’We are seriously considering the proposal and a decision would be announced within a day or two,’’ a family member said.