Lucknow: Making minor changes the ruling Samajwadi Party on Friday decided to field its controversial Lok Sabha candidate Atiq Ahmed from Shravasti instead of Sultanpur.
"Atiq Ahmed would be fielded from Shravasti Lok Sabha seat in place of Mashood Khan," party spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary said in a statement.
Shakil Ahmed will contest from Sultanpur seat, he said.
Atiq, who has several criminal cases against him, was given party ticket from Sultanpur last month.
He was a member of 14th Lok Sabha from Phulpur seat.
In the last elections, he contested from Pratapgarh seat on Apna Dal ticket, but lost.