Don Babloo not to contest UP polls

Lucknow, Apr 6(UNI) Mafia don Om Prakash Srivastava alias Babloo has decided against contesting the assembly elections from the Lucknow (Central) assembly seat.

According to a close confidante of the don, Babloo has apparently decided against contesting the polls in a bid to stop the division of a 90,000 strong Kasthaya vote bank in the constituency.

Earlier the don, who had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha elections as an Independent from Sitapur, had announced to contest from the seat -- again as an Independent.

Meanwhile, it is believed that the don is likely to support BSP candidate Nagendra Mohan Srivastava from the constituency.

However, talking to UNI, Mr Srivastava expressed ignorance about the support being extended to him by the don. The BSP candidate, who is a criminal lawyer in the Allahabad High Court, said he was the lone Kasthaya candidate of the party in the state.

The don is expected to appear before a local court here on April 11 in connection with a criminal case. He is currently lodged in the Bareilly Central jail.

UNI