‘Ajmal had silent support for my voting for Congress’

‘Ajmal had silent support for my voting for Congress’

SILCHAR, April 5: “With the silent support of AUDF supremo, I have voted in favour of the Congress candidate in the Rajya Sabha election,” stated Badarpur MLA Anwarul Haque, who had been suspended from the AUDF for violating party diktat to vote for the Opposition candidate Jayanta Baruah. Making his first press-meet after the recent Rajya Sabha episode, Haque claimed that he had intimated his decision of casting vote in favour of the ruling party candidate, to AUDF president Badrauddin Ajmal, who did not protest. Rather Ajmal had advised him to do any step for the betterment of his Muslim Fishermen Community, claimed Haque. He reiterated that he had done no mistake by casting his vote in Congress’ favour. Even in earlier RS elections, the AUDF had voted in favour of Congress candidate Dr Manmohan Singh. In presidential election, too AUDF voted for Congress candidate Pratibha Patil. Admitting that this time party had issued whip to vote for Baruah, Haque argued that, he personally could not accept Baruah’s candidature as the latter was an ‘anti-Bengali’ person. Haque even said, Baruah was accused of Nelli massacre. Haque today said that he still had a cordial rapport with Ajmal, who as he claimed, had made a telephone call even today. Haque said he was still very much a part of AUDF and considered Ajmal as his leader. THE SENTINEL