(rptg, correcting party name in para two)

Varanasi, Jan 2 (UNI) Political ambitions of jailed underworld don Abu Salem received a boost today with one of the key constituents of former Prime Minister V P Singh-led Jan Morcha announcing to field the Mumbai serial blasts accused as party candidate from Mubarakpur seat of Azamgarh district in the coming Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.

''Feelers from Salem's newly floated electoral outfit Rashtrawadi Samajwadi Party (RSP) were sent to me recently urging a ticket for him from Mubarakpur. My party has decided on Salem as its candidate in Mubarakpur provided all legal hurdles in the process are cleared in time,'' Rashtriya Krantikarti rpt Krantikari Samajwadi Party (RKSP) national president Gopal Rai told newspersons here.

''Salem's lawyers are making last ditch attempts to get his name included in the voters' list of Azamgarh and if they succeeed, their high-profile client will contest the poll from Mubarakapur on RKSP ticket,'' he informed.

Mr Rai further said Salem is not a criminal, until the charges levelled against him are upheld by the court and ''hence we have no problem fielding him from Mubarakpur.'' ''Since the recognition of Salem's newly founded party by the Election Commission will take more than an year, his followers contacted us to fulfill their leader's political ambitions in the coming poll,'' said Mr Rai, whose party was registered with the EC in 2003.

Salem's followers will meet me again in two days at Lucknow to give final shape to our electoral decision, he added.

He claimed his party will field 50 candidates in UP poll and added RKSP had contested polls in seven states including UP, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana.

Queried about objections by Jan Morcha leaders V P Singh and Raj Babbar -- who criticised the ruling Samajwadi Party for alleged nexus with criminals -- on the RKSP's Abu Salem centric plans, Mr Rai said ''we will try to convince them, but if they do not concur with us my party will walk out of the Morcha.'' ''Salem is not a criminal until convicted by the court...we are even ready to offer ticket to Dawood Ibrahim, if he akin to Salem wants to go to the court of public,'' Mr Rai stated.

Mr Rai said dreaded dacoit Seema Parihar, who recently joined Udit Raj-led Indian Justice Party, will contest against BSP supremo Mayawati in UP assembly poll. ''Other constituents of Jan Morcha, including RKSP and Bharatiya Kisan Party have offered unconditional support to Parihar.'' UNI