Shakeel Ahmed quits Congress post, to contest for Madhubani seat

PATNA: Senior Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed on Monday resigned as the party’s spokesperson and announced to contest for the Madhubani Lok Sabha seat against Grand Alliance (GA) candidate Badri Kumar Purve of Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) and Ashok Kumar Yadav of BJP. VIP is a GA partner in Bihar, along with RJD, Congress, HAM(S) of former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi and RLSP led by former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha.
Shakeel also said he would file his nomination papers on Tuesday. He had been the Congress spokesperson for the last 12 years. He had won the Madhubani Lok Sabha seat twice in 1998 and 2004.
“As I have decided to file my nomination papers tomorrow from Madhubani Parliamentary Constituency in Bihar, I’m resigning from the post of Senior Spokesperson of AICC. I’m sending my resignation to Congress President Shri @RahulGandhi,” Shakeel tweeted on Monday.
“From now onwards till the election is over, whatever I speak to media will be in my capacity as a candidate for Madhubani seat and not as a Congress spokesperson,” Shakeel told TOI over phone, adding, “I have tagged my resignation tweet to Rahul Ji. He might have taken note of my tweet as he follows me on the Twitter.”
To a question, Shakeel said he was not deserting the Congress, but filing nomination papers to fulfil the demand of his large number of supporters in the constituency. Shakeel also said he has asked the Congress leadership to consider two alternatives for him — a friendly fight on Congress symbol or allow him to contest as an independent with the party’s support, like RJD candidate Subhash Yadav is contesting against Congress nominee Manoj Yadav from Chatra seat in neighbouring Jharkhand.
“I spoke to the AICC incharge for Bihar affairs Shaktisinh Gohil, who told me that my wish has been conveyed to Rahul Gandhi, who will take a call after discussing the issue with other stakeholders. I have asked the Congress leadership to provide me the party symbol by 3pm on April 18, the last date for submitting the symbol before the returning officer. I hope to get the party symbol by that time,” Shakeel told TOI.
When asked about his further course of action if Congress did not allot him party symbol, Shakeel said, “Why I should think negative. I am hopeful of getting the symbol.”
However, sources close to Rahul Gandhi told TOI that if he files his papers against the GA candidate and does not withdraw by the last date of withdrawal, the Congress central leadership would take suitable action against him.
Sources said Shakeel’s case was placed before Rahul, but he did not agree to allow him to file nomination papers against the official GA nominee. “If we allow any Congress person to file nomination against the GA official candidate, it would have an adverse impact on the alliance,” a senior AICC leader wishing anonymity told TOI.