Ex-RJD MP Fatmi turns rebellious;announces his candidature

Miffed over denial of ticket by the RJD from Madhubani, former union minister Mohammad Ali Ashraf Fatmi Saturday virtually rebelled against the party and announced to contest election from Madhubani Lok Sabha seat against the Grand Alliance candidate.

Fatmi also gave an ultimatum to the party stating that he would wait for its decision about him till April 18, when he would file nomination papers from Madhubani seat.

I have taken a decision to contest election from Madhubani Lok Sabha seat and will file nomination papers on April 18. The party has time till April 18 to decide as what it can do for me, otherwise I will be compelled to file papers, Fatmi told reporters here.

He also made it clear that he would not contest polls if Congress gives ticket to former union minister Dr Shakeel Ahmad from Madhubani.

But he would contest if Shakeel Ahmad decides to contest as an independent candidate from Madhubani, the seat which he had represented in the past.

It may be noted that Madhubani Lok Sabha seat has gone to Vikashsheel Insan Party (VIP)'s kitty, one of the five constituents of Grand Alliance, as per the seat sharing arrangement in the Mahagathbandhan. Grand Alliance comprises of RJD, Congress, RLSP, HAM(S) and VIP.

VIP has named Badri Purbey as its nominee from Madhubani and has also filed his papers on the seat.

BJP has fielded Ashok Yadav, son of veteran parliamentarian Hukumdeo Narayan Yadav from the seat.

I worked as partys committed soldier for past 30 years right from the days of Janata Dal and RJD. I won Lok Sabha seat four times from DarbhangaThis time I was told by the party leadership that I would be made candidate from Madhubani and Abdul Bari Siddiqui from Darbhanga.

Everything was fine till last moment. I was waiting for party symbol but suddenly I got to know that I have been denied ticket from Madhubani, the rebel RJD leader said adding the man who has been given ticket (VIP nominee) is a novice in politics.

Claiming that people are angry with the RJDs decision to deny ticket to its muslim face in the state, he said I am pained with the party decision (to give the Madhubani seat to VIP) as I have been preparing for it for the past six months Sometimes, peoples anger is not visible on the ground but the party will have to face its consequences in future.

Asked why he was not accommodated by the party, he said that it was difficult to make out as what happened in the last moment.

But, he was quick to say that even the man- who tried to defect the RJD legislature party by getting the signatures of 13 MLAs in order to become Deputy CM- got the party symbol and another person got the RJD ticket for himself and for his nominee from Sitamarhi because of whom Lalu Prasad is currently serving in jail.

His dig was apparently aimed at Siddiqui and Sharad Yadav, contesting from Madhepura on RJD ticket.

Lalu Prasad's party has announced candidature of Arjun Rai, a close aide of Yadav, from Sitamarhi.

When asked his son and RJD MLA Faraz Fatmi would campaign for his party or father, Fatmi, an engineer by degree, said that how can I tell anything about him (son Fatmi). He has been elected MLA on RJD ticket. It is my decision to contest but it is completely upto him (son) as what he will do.