Afzal Ansari announced his support to Congress nominee Ajay Rai

In a surprising move, the chief of Qaumy Ekta Dal (QED) Afzal Ansari has on Tuesday announced his support to Congress nominee Ajay Rai but avoided making announcement to share platform with him during election campaign. The chiefs of Janwadi Party Socialist, Bhartiya Samaj Party and Phoolandevi Sena Omprakash Chauhan, Omprakash Rajbhar and Gopal Nishad respectively were also present on the occasion of announcement. 

It may be noted here that there is old rivalry between Afzal Ansari and Congress candidate Ajay Rai. Jailed MlA Mukhtar Ansari, brother of Afzal Ansari, is named in the murder of Awadhesh Rai, elder brother of Ajay Rai and the Congress candidate is witness in the murder case. 

Keeping the personal relation aside he has decided to extend his support to Congress candidate announced Afzal Ansari while talking to newsmen on this afternoon in Cantonment area here but avoided making any announcement to share platform with Rai during electioneering.The leaders and workers of QED would make electioneering in the favor of Congress nominee to stop Narendra Modi in national interest said Ansari describing Rai as strong and popular leader. He decided to extend support to Congress candidate to stop Modi to form government at centre. 

He blamed the AAP, SP and BSP for not paying any head to his appeal to be united against Modi and claimed that he decided to support to Congress candidate after the national level leader of the oldest party including Digvijay Singh consulted him and sought support.It may be noted here that the QED is an ally of Ekta Manch which other constituents are Janwadi Party Socialist, Bhartiya Samaj Party and Phoolandevi Sena. There are three other parties in Ekta Manch. 

Earlier the Ekta Manch had announced Mukhtar Ansari as its candidate from Varanasi parliamentary constituency but after local Muslim leaders expressed disagree on his candidature it was decided that he would not contest election. But the QED appealed non-BJP parties to unite against Modi who is also in election fray from here but no party responded. On the matter of deal of AK-47 by Congress candidate as the allegation was made by the BJP leader Amit Shah, Ansari avoided making any comment on it by saying that Rai had already made his stand clear. 

Ansari denied of any deal behind the support to Rai and claimed that as no party barring the Congress had approached him to seek support, so this decision was taken.On the occasion, the chiefs of Janwadi Party Socialist, Bhartiya Samaj Party and Phoolandevi Sena Omprakash Chauhan, Omprakash Rajbhar and Gopal Nishad respectively were also present.