Minorities Front quits Rajasthan polls, supports Congress

The All India Minorities Front (AIMF) on Sunday decided to withdraw the nominations of its candidates in the upcoming Assembly polls in Rajasthan to help the "secular forces" defeat "communal elements" led by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

At a meeting of the party's Parliamentary Board chaired by National President S.M. Asif,

it was felt that fielding candidates may result in a division of secular votes. So, the party decided to extend support to the Congress.

The AIMF chief appealed to the voters to defeat "fundamentalist and communal forces".

The party underlined that minorities, SCs, STs and OBCs had suffered the most under the BJP government. It also cautioned the members of the SC and ST communities against the designs of the BJP that was aiming at splitting SC and ST votes in the reserved constituencies.

Rajasthan goes to polls on December 7 to elect a 200-member Assembly. Counting of votes and the declaration of results are scheduled for December 11.

--IANS

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