Fatmi withdraws nomination for Madhubani

Former union minister Mohd Ali Ashraf Fatmi, who had quit RJD and had entered the fray from Madhubani Lok Sabha seat on a BSP ticket, Monday withdrew his nomination citing the refusal of rebel Congress nominee Shakeel Ahmed to do so and apprehending a split in votes benefiting the BJP candidate.

"I took the decision (to withdraw) based on the feedback by my close supporters on whose insistence I had filed nomination papers. It was observed that the reluctance of Ahmed to withdraw would have lead to votes getting split between us. This would have helped the BJP," Fatmi told PTI-Bhasha over phone.

Ahmed, an ex-MP from Madhubani, was in the fray as an Independent after the Congress refused to accept his request for a "friendly fight" in the seat which has gone to fledgling outfit VIP as per seat-sharing arrangements within the 'Mahagathbandhan'.

Fatmi had been hoping to be considered for Madhubani after the RJD fielded senior leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui from Darbhanga which he has represented four times.

When Madhubani too went to another candidate a former small-time RJD leader Badrinath Purve Fatmi registered his protest by resigning from various posts he held in the party and announcing that he would contest from the seat.

He subsequently gave up the primary membership as well, though his son is still an RJD MLA, alleging that the partys de facto leader Tejashwi Yadav told him that he was being suspended for six years in a manner that was so rough and rude.

Fatmi made it clear my decision has nothing to do with any pestering on the part of RJD and Tejashwi. I am no more a member of that party and have nothing to do with what its members or leaders say. I took the decision to contest on the request of my numerous supporters and it is at their insistence that I have withdrawn.

Currently held by BJPs Hukumdeo Narayan Yadav whose son Ashok Yadav is the party candidate this time, Madhubani goes to polls in the fifth phase of general elections on May 6. April 22 was the last date for withdrawal of nominations by candidates.