Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar.
Credit: DH Pool Photo
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) was left with egg on its face on Sunday when the candidature of Sabir Ali, from the Amour assembly seat, was withdrawn in favour of Saba Zafar, who had already filed nomination papers on the party's ticket.
Ali, who had been expelled from the JD(U) in 2014, was on Saturday named the candidate from the assembly seat in Purnea district, in a sudden decision that took party cadres by surprise.
Zafar, the runner-up of the last assembly polls, and the winner of 2010, when he contested on a BJP ticket, had figured on the list of JD(U) candidates that came out last week.
Ali and Zafar addressed a press conference at the residence of senior JD(U) leader and state minister Leshi Singh, at whose residence the ex-MP was re-inducted a day ago.
"There should be no confusion. Ali saheb had returned to the party to boost its prospects in the Seemanchal region. I filed my nomination papers yesterday. I was never asked to return my poll symbol," said Zafar, repudiating a statement issued from the JD(U) office in the state capital.
Ali said, "Admittedly, the news of my candidature had been disseminated from the official channels of the party. But I do not take it to heart and am ready to campaign for JD(U) wherever I am told, even on the Siachen glacier".