Bareilly cleric wants SP to change LS poll nominees

S T Hasan,who is former mayor,has been named the SP candidate for Moradabad.

“During my meeting with (SP chief) Mulayam Singh on June 21,I made it clear that these seats (Bareilly and Moradabad) cannot be won unless these candidates are changed. I have been entrusted with the responsibility of these areas,so the candidates should be chosen with my consent,” Raza told The Indian Express on Tuesday.

He also said the SP chief asked him to concentrate on these two seats as he has considerable clout there. “I apprised of the actual position,something which is not revealed by their party workers. The SP chief had also agreed and the candidates will be changed,” he stated.

Raza said he wanted a Hindu candidate from Bareilly and some other Muslim candidate in Moradabad.

“If the SP fields a Muslim candidate in Bareilly,there will be polarisation on religious lines. It is better to field a Hindu candidate and support it with Muslim votes,” Raza stated.

About Ayesha Islam,he said: “Their family has contested the Lok Sabha elections from Bareilly in the past but could not win. In 2009,Islam Sabir contested on a BSP ticket from Bareilly and finished third.” Islam Sabir is a former MLA and father-in-law of Ayesha Islam. He was state president of Raza’s IMC but joined SP along with his son and MLA Shahzil Islam.

Despite a good concentration of Muslims in Moradabad,SP’s candidate Rizwan Ahmed could poll only 27,962 votes in the2009 Lok Sabha elections,Raza said.

“I have strong reservation against S T Hasan,whom SP has named now for Moradabad. During his tenure as Mayor,he did nothing for Muslims. The community is against him and he could not muster courage to contest again for Mayor,” Raza said.

The Bareilly cleric said he would visit Lucknow on June 28 and meet the Chief Minister. “I want that a committee for probing riots should be implemented. Discussion for candidates for Lok Sabha polls will also come up during the meeting,” he stated.