Jharkhand Congressman wants to fight as Independent

Ranchi, April 19 (IANS) Senior Congress leader and former MP Furkan Ansari has sought permission from the party to contest the Godda Lok sabha seat as an Independent candidate.The Opposition grand alliance in Jharkhand has fielded Pradep Yadav of the Jharkahnd Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P) from Godda, who will take on two-time sitting MP of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Nishikant Dubey. "The grand alliance candidate from Godda is weak. He cannot defeat the BJP. The people of the constituency want me to fight as an Independent candidate. If my party cannot give me the party symbol, it should give me the permission to fight as an Independent from Godda," Ansari told reporters on Friday.A winner from the constituency in 2004, Ansari finished second behind Dubey in 2014, while Yadav came third."Not only the Muslims, but people from all sections of the society want me to contest the elections from Godda," Ansari said."I have informed the party's central leadership that the people of the constituency do not want the BJP or the grand alliance candidate. The latter doesn't have a good image," he added. Ansari also claimed that Congress leaders have summoned him to Delhi on Monday.The Opposition grand alliance in Jharkhand comprises the Congress, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and JVM-P. As per the pre-poll seat-sharing arrangement for the 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state, the Congress will contest seven seats, JMM four, JVM-P two, including Godda, while one seat has gone to the RJD.
--IANS ns/arm