Cong's Basti candidate refuses to contest polls

In another embarrassment for Congress in Uttar Pradesh, party candidate from Basti lok Sabha seat Sanjay Jaiswal refused to contest the elections after being charged with a 

rape case.

Sanjay Jaiswal, Congress MlA from Rudauli assembly segment in Basti, has shot off a letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi claiming that "he is innocent and had been falsely framed in arape case."  In the letter, dispatched on Tuesday, Jaiswal said that since Congress Party had always fought for women empowerment, it is his moral responsibility to first come out clean of the charges and then contest the elections.

"Hence till the time I am cleared of charges I will not contest the elections", he said in his letter and requested Party president Sonia Gandhi to select some other suitable candidate.  Jaiswal had earlier filed his nomination but without a Congress symbol from the seat.The Congress MlA had been accused of rape by a women and a case in this regard had been registered against him at lucknow's women police station. The victim had also given her statement under section 164 of the Cr PC.  

lucknow police has served a notice to Jaiswal seeking his clarification on the charges. Sources said that Jaiswal feared that once he would turned up before police to record 

his statement, he will be arrested in the matter.