Cong suspends Shakeel Ahmad, Benipatti MLA for anti-party activities

The Congress on Sunday suspended its former MP and senior leader Shakeel Ahmad from the party for contesting as an independent candidate from the Madhubani Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar against the party's decision.

Along with him, Benipatti MLA Bhavana Jha was also suspended from the Congress Party for anti-party activities. Benipatti also falls in the same parliamentary constituency.

"EX MP Shakeel Ahmed has been suspended with immediate effect from the Congress Party for contesting as an independent candidate from the Madhubani Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar against the party's decision," said All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Motilal Vora.

"Along with this, Benipatti MLA Bhavana Jha has also been suspended from the Congress Party for anti-party activities with regard to the ongoing general elections," he added.

Jha has been supportive of Ahmad's decision to contest as an independent candidate from Madhubani.

Ahmed, who is confident of his winning from Madhubani, had first filed his nomination papers as the Congress candidate, however, withdrew his candidature as the Congress candidate later.

On May 3, on being asked if Congress has detained him from the party, Ahmad told ANI: "These are all rumours, this news has no facts. I just want to say I belong to Congress and I will remain a Congressman for the lifetime."

Ahmed was a member of the 12th and 14th Lok Sabha of India. In 2004, he was given the charge of Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology. He was also appointed as a general secretary of the Congress.

Bihar's Madhubani will go to polls in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Elections will be held here on May 6 and the counting of votes will take place on May 23.