BSP To Not Field Atiq Ahmed’s Wife As It’s Mayoral Candidate In Prayagraj

New Delhi: The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has decided not to field Shaista Parveen, the wife of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, as its mayoral candidate in Prayagraj in the upcoming civic polls in Uttar Pradesh. Prayagraj district unit BSP chief G.N. Jaiswal said the party will contest the local body elections strongly.

"This is the reason why strong candidates are being selected. Shaista Parveen will not be getting a BSP ticket for contesting mayoral elections now. The party has begun the search for a new candidate," he said.

Shaista Parveen, along with her husband and two sons, has been named in the FIR lodged in the February 24 Umesh Pal murder case here. Later, the Prayagraj police announced a Rs 25,000 reward for information leading to her arrest.

She has been absconding ever since the crime was committed in Dhoomanganj in which Umesh Pal, the prime witness in the 2005 Raju Pal case, and his two police guards were shot dead in broad daylight. Shaista Parveen joined the BSP in the presence of senior party leaders in Prayagraj on January 5 this year.

BSP leaders, present on the occasion, had also announced that she will be the party`s candidate for the post of Prayagraj mayor in the upcoming local bodies polls in the state.