By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,
Lucknow: Actress turned MP Jaya Prada will not contest against fire brand Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan from Rampur Assembly constituency.
Jaya Prada, who fell apart with SP and sided with Amar Singh is presently with the latter’s Rashtriya Lokmanch. It was announced by Amar Singh that Jaya Prada will take on Azam Khan thus making the poll battle interesting. However, it has now decided not to field Rampur MP Jaya Prada against the fire brand leader.
Now, Rashtriya Lokmanch will field Reshma Afroz from Rampur against Azam Khan. Reshma is the wife of former SP leader Afroz Ali Khan. Reshma is also former chairman of Rampur Nagar Palika Parishad while Afroz Ali Khan is a former MLA.
Azam Khan who has won the Rampur seat seven times and lost twice will be contesting for the record tenth time. Once he was defeated by Afroz Ali Khan who later joined SP. However, the bonhomie could not last and Afroz left SP alleging favouritism by Azam Khan. Afroz was demanding ticket from newly carved constituency Chamrauha in Rampur but it went to Azam loyalist Nasir Ali Khan.
Earlier, it was reported that Jaya Prada the local Rampur MP and now with Amar Singh will contest against Azam Khan. The contest would have turned interesting with Amar Singh announcing that he will release several CDs where Mulayam has praised Jaya Prada during 2009 Lok Sabha elections. In 2009, Azam fell apart from Mulayam and was against Jaya Prada who won despite his opposition.
Rampur will witness a curious battle with Congress fielding Dr Tanveer Ahmed Khan and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) fielding Bharat Bhushan while Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) yet to declare its candidate.