UP elections: Congress to field tainted Anis Ahmad Khan after flaying BJP

NEW DELHI: Congress, which has been attacking BJP for doing business with corrupt ex-BSP leaders, has dumped its 'probity plank' to field tainted BSP dropout Anis Ahmad Khan as its candidate from Bisalpur assembly seat in Pilibhit district.

Mayawati gave Khan the marching orders after UP Lokayukta NK Mehrotra found that he had diverted his MLA fund to an educational trust owned by his family members. The Lokayukta had recommended recovery of about 94.23 lakh from Khan.

In a surprise move, Congress on Tuesday changed its candidate for Bisalpur seat, Dev Swarup Patel, and announced the nomination of Khan. Local leaders said the decision was taken at the top level and that they were not in the loop.

The decision is certain to kick the bottom of Congress' campaign against BJP for its political deal with former BSP ministers like Babu Singh Kushwaha and Badshah Singh. While Kushwaha is accused in the NHRM scam, Badshah Singh was indicted by the Lokayukta in a land grab case.

Congress' chief campaigner Rahul Gandhi has been using BJP's association with Kushwaha to drive home his party's point that the saffron side cannot provide a clean administration.