Masood Madani has nothing to do with Jamiat: Arshad Madani

New Delhi, Apr 9 (UNI) Strongly rejecting the appeal made by Mr Masood Madani in the Asom elections to vote for the Congress as his ''personal statement,'' Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind president Maulana Syed Arshad Madani today said Mr Masood has nothing to do with the Jamiat.

In a statement here, the Jamiat chief said, ''I would like to make it clear that Mr Masood Madani is neither an office-bearer of the Jamiat nor a member of any of its bodies.'' The Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind has got nothing to do with the statement made by Mr Masood in Guwahati on Friday and it could only be best described as his personal view only, Mr Arshad Madani said.

At an election rally in Guwahati on Friday, Mr Masood Madani appealed to the voters to support the Congress and termed the Jamiat and the Shahi Imam of Delhi Jama Masjid ''RSS agents.'' The Jamiat is strongly backing the newly-floated Asom United Democratic Front (AUDF) in Asom elections. The AUDF vows by Jamiat ideology and has emerged strongly besides the Congress and the AGP in the ongoing elections in the state.

The battle in Asom has reached its crescendo with the stage set for the second and final phase of voting in the assembly polls tomorrow with house-to-house campaigning still on.

This time, fate of the 61 constituencies would be sealed, as some 8.2 million voters will decide the fortunes of 482 candidates.

Counting of votes will be undertaken on May 11.

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