Congress leaves Ayodhya seat for rebel SP MP

Lucknow, Apr 18 (UNI) The All-India Congress Committee (AICC) today announced leaving the Ayodhya seat for rebel Samajwadi Party leader and former Union minister Beni Prasad Verma.

Mr Verma, who had recently formed the Samajwadi Kranti Party (SKP), would contest the elections on Indian Justice Party (IJP) symbol as his party has so far not been recognised by the Election Commission (EC).

The rebel SP MP had demanded that Congress president Sonia Gandhi announce her party's decision to leave the Ayodhya seat for him.

Mr Verma is campaigning for Congress candidates where his party is in a weak position. He had last month deserted the ruling Samajwadi Party following differences with chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav.

The rebel SP leader has a hold in Barabanki and Bahraich districts of the state.

In a similar move, the AICC has left the Lakshmipur seat for Rashtriya Janata Dal's Kaushal Kishore. Union minister Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD is an ally of Congress at the Centre.

The Union minister is campaigning for the Congress in the ongoing state assembly elections.

UNI