A major political row has erupted over the Congress' decision to field former president of the Aligarh Muslim University Students' Union, Maskoor Ahmad Usmani from a seat in Darbhanga district in the upcoming Assembly elections in Bihar. The grand old party, which is contesting elections in an alliance with Lalu Prasad's RJD, has named Usmani as its nominee from the Jale Assembly seat.
A resident of Darbhanga, Usmani had won the AMU's students union election in 2017. He gained media attention back in 2018 when a portrait of Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah was found in a hall of the varsity.
Usmani also took a proactive part in protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) last year.
Firebrand BJP leader and Union minister Giriraj Singh has slammed the Congress party for fielding a candidate who seconds Jinnah's ideology. Singh sought to know from the Congress whether it supports Jinnah who was responsible for the partition in 1947.
He also wondered if JNU student Sharjeel Imam will be the grand alliance's star campaigner in Bihar. Imam is an accused in the Delhi riots case and currently behind the bars.
“Congress and Mahagathbandhan leaders have to answer the country if the Jale candidate supports Jinnah. Congress and Mahagathbandhan have to tell if they also support Jinnah? Will Sharjeel Imam be their star campaigner?” he asked.
Congress leader Rishi Mishra also lashed out at the party leader over its choice of the candidate from Jale Vidhan Sabha seat. Rishi had quit Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) last year and joined the Congress.
“It is a cruel joke. I left JD(U) to contest from Jale. I would have been okay if someone else got a ticket but they gave it to a Jinnah follower who has sedition case against him. He puts Jinnah's photo in his office,” she said.
The Jale constituency will go to polls in the third and final phase on November 7. The results will be declared on November 10.
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