The Quami Ekta Dal (QED) on Tuesday not only vehemently denied extending support to the BJP’s prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi but also announced that it would offer unsolicited support to any party or candidate who they feel can defeat Mr. Modi.
Putting to rest speculation, party president Afzal Ansari denied reports of having expressed support for him. “Reports quoting me as having said that Muslims will also benefit if Mr. Modi comes to power are totally fabricated. It is a conspiracy to create a controversy,” he said.
Mr. Ansari said the QED was determined to stop Mr. Modi from winning in Varanasi. “We are political untouchables, no one wants our support, but we will announce our support for a party or candidate on April 29, once the work of allocating symbols is over,” he said in reference to the AAP and Congress having shown reluctance to forge ties with the QED. On why the QED is not contesting the polls, he said: “That is the wish of our political workers; we feel we are not best equipped to defeat Mr. Modi. So we will canvass for the candidate we offer our support to.”
The QED’s Mukhtar Ansari is currently serving a prison term for allegedly killing the brother of Congress candidate Ajay Rai. He contested the 2009 Lok Sabha poll on BSP ticket and lost to BJP’s Murli Manohar Joshi.
