Cong suspends Shakeel Ahmed for contesting as Independent

Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Shakeel Ahmed was on Sunday suspended from the party "with immediate effect" for contesting as an Independent from the Madhubani Lok Sabha seat in Bihar which goes to polls on Monday.

According to a release issued by AICC general secretary Motilal Vora at New Delhi, shared by the partys state unit here, Ahmed - who had won the Madhubani seat for the Congress in 2004 "has been suspended with immediate effect" for going against the party decision.

Besides, Congress MLA Bhavana Jha, who represents Benipatti assembly segment falling under Madhubani, has been suspended "for anti-party activities".

Notably, Jha had accompanied Ahmed when he filed his nomination papers last month and has since been claiming that he enjoyed the support of the district Congress notwithstanding the party leaderships refusal to heed the former Union ministers request for a "friendly fight".

The seat has fallen into the kitty of fledgling outfit Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) which is a constituent of the Mahagathbandhan besides Congress, RJD, RLSP and HAM.

Currently it is held by BJP veteran Hukumdev Narayan Yadav who has been replaced by his son Ashok Yadav this time.