Former 'bandit queen' Seema Parihar to contest UP polls

New Delhi, Mar 22 (UNI) Former "dacoit" Seema Parihar will contest Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections on the ticket of Indian Justice Party, which claims to represent Dalits.

Party president Udit Raj told UNI here that Ms Parihar will be fielded from Mirzapur Assembly constituency which will go to polls in the sixth phase of elections staggered over a month.

Thirty-five-year-old Seema Parihar, who was kidnapped from the dacoit-infested Etawah district when she was only 13, had surrendered in 2003.

Justifying her candidature, Mr Udit Raj said Seema went into the world of crime not by choice but by circumstances, so she could not be put in the category of cadidates with obvious criminal background.

He said she wanted to start life afresh and leave her past behind, and the main aim of his party is to help such people come in the mainstream of the national life.

The Indian Justice Party, which was initially part of former prime minister VP Singh-led Pragatisheel Jana Morcha, formed recently to dislodge the Mulayam Singh Yadav Government in Uttar Pradesh and prevent other 'communal and corrupt' parties from coming into power.

A few days back, it announced its divorce from the alliance alleging that its leadership had been monopolised by a few people, and they had ignored their original allies while negotiating seat sharing with the Congress.

Mr Udit Raj said his party would contest 150 seats in Uttar Pradesh forming a separate Morcha which also includes NCP.

Meanwhile, the VP Singh-led Morcha has not been able to strike any poll adjustment either with the Congress or the RLD of Ch Ajit Singh.

UNI