Zee Media Bureau
Lucknow: Quami Ekta Dal, being led by mafia-don-turned politician Mukhtar Ansari on Tuesday announced that it will support Congress candidate Ajay Rai from Varanasi constituency in the ongoing General Elections.
Interestingly, Quami Ekta Dal chief Afzal Ansari, the brother of Mukhtar had earlier announced that it would support Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejrwal, who is also contesting from the holy city and pitted himself against Bharatiy Janata Party`s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
Earlier, this month Mukhtar withdrew from the Lok Sabha contest in Varanasi. Mukhtar, who has several cases of murder, extortion and dacoity registered against him, said in a statement distributed by his brother that he would reveal his future strategy on April 15.
Mukhtar Ansari, currently in jail, is a member of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly from Mau. He had earlier said he would take on BJP`s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in the Hindu holy city.
Mukhtar Ansari finished second in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls in Varanasi. BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi scraped through by a few thousand votes as Muslims voted in large numbers for Ansari.
Afzal, surprised everyone last this week saying there was a "Modi wave" in the country and that the Gujarat Chief Minister would win in Varanasi.