RSP fields don Salem from two assembly seats in UP

Lucknow, Mar 28 (UNI) Though the Allahabad High Court is yet to decide the fate of a petition on enrolling his name in the voters' list, Rashtravadi Samajwadi Party today announced the candidacy of dreaded don Abu Salem from two constituencies of east Uttar Pradesh in the coming assembly polls.

The newly-floated RSP announced the first list of nine candidates for the assembly polls in which Abu Salem, presently lodged in the Authar Raod jail in Mumbai in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case, has been given candidature from Mubarakpur and Azamgarh (city) seats.

Talking to UNI, RSP president Satyendra Singh Yadav said Abu Salem would contest from two constituencies and it was for sure that the Election Commission will be forced to enroll his name in the voters' list.

Mr Ashok Sarogi, the counsel for Salem, who was also present, said the CBI had filed a petition before the Protugal government during his deportation that Abu was the resident of Azamgarh, ''then how can they deny to enroll his name in the voters' list.'' Mr Yadav said the RSP will contest around 40 seats in the polls and Abu Salem's candidacy would be finalised after his name was cleared by the EC.

Meanwhile, EC spokesperson here said they would take the decision on the petition over inclusion of salem's name in the voters' list as per the law.

Earlier, the counsel of Saleem had moved the Lucknow bench of the High Court alleging Azamgarh authorities were not enrolling his name in the voters' list. the High Court had issued notices against the EC to reply on the allegations.

The EC is said to have submitted their reply in the High Court but the case is yet to be listed for hearing.

UNI