Ulema Council to field candidates against Sonia, Rahul

The Ulema Council, which recently staged protests against what it termed as "harassment" of Muslim youths in the name of terror, declared on Turesday that it would field candidates against Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul in the upcoming Lok Sabha election.

The Council said it would contest Rae Bareli and Amethi Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh from where the Congress had renominated the United Progressive Alliance chairperson and Rahul Gandhi respectively.

"We will soon release our next list which will include heavyweights to contest against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul," Ulema Council's convenor Maulana Aamir Rashadi Madanai said.

The Ulema, representing various Muslim bodies, said it would contest the Parliamentary election on its own in Uttar Pradesh and denied reports of a possible tie-up with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"We do not trust any political party in the state. The Council will contest the election on its own," Madani said. He, however, said "If we win any seat, we will consider supporting the BJP at the time of formation of the government on our terms."

The Ulema Council last week released its first list of five candidates for Azamgarh, Lalganj, Jaunpur, Lucknow and Machlishehar Lok Sabha constituencies, all in Uttar Pradesh.