Riot-accused BSP MP to face wife in Muzaffarnagar seat

Communal riot accused and Bahujan Samaj Party MP from the riot-torn Muzaffarnagar Lok Sabha constituency, Kadir Rana is likely to compete with his wife and other rivals for the seat.

Rana’s wife Syeda Begum filed her nomination papers from Muzaffarnagar seat on Tuesday, according to the reports. Syeda will be contesting as an independent candidate.

Her nomination came as a surprise to the other parties as there was no known report of any friction or marital discord between the couple. Although Kadir Rana was not available for comment, sources said that he might have got his wife to file her papers as a ‘dummy’ candidate. “Rana has already been charge sheeted in connection with the September communal violence in the district. He may have fielded his wife to make sure that someone from his family remains in the fray in case his nomination papers are rejected or if the BSP decides to drop him,” said local BSP leader.

Rana was among the ten people, including two BSP MLAs, who had been charge sheeted by the special investigative team (SIT) for their role in the last year’s communal violence in the district that had claimed 62 lives and displaced thousands others. 

A large number of displaced victims still live at relief camps in the district.

Rana was accused of violating prohibitory orders and inciting violence by delivering inflammatory speech at a Muslim community panchayat (meetings) in the district. He had also been arrested but was later freed on bail by a lower court.