By Faisal Fareed, Twocircles.net
Facing the heat of an FIR lodged against him over alleged assault in Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences in Allahabad, the Samajwadi Party candidate from Kanpur Cantt Atiq Ahmed has asked his supporters to not bring any firearms during his meeting at Kanpur.
Atiq, who has several criminal cases pending against him and has an image of muscleman, has been declared a candidate by SP from Kanpur Cantt. He will be addressing his first public meeting at Babupurwa in Kanpur on December 22 at 6 pm. As per the programme, he will depart from his office in Chakia in Allahabad at 10 am and pass through Fatehpur to reach Kanpur.
In an advertisement issued in local media, Atiq has urged his supporters and SP workers not to bring any firearms during his meeting. He has also appealed to them for properly paying toll charges at toll plazas enroute. He also requested them to follow traffic rules so that common people are not affected.
Atiq’s candidature has brought to fore the debate from opposition parties about fielding a person with criminal charges. However no party can be excluded from it.
Earlier, in 2014 Atiq Ahmed had contested as SP candidate from Shrawasti and there were reports about some anti social elements for not paying bill to shopkeepers and some house grabbing. He had then again issued an appeal that such things being done in his name do not have his support and action should be taken against them. He however lost the poll.
Now he is again contesting from Kanpur Cantt, this time SP has again given ticket to him owing to good number of Muslims in the region. BSP too has fielded a Muslim candidate from the seat.
Atiq’s brother Khalid Azeem alias Ashraf has already reached Kanpur and is making arrangements for the meeting. SP has termed it as a workers’ meet in support of Atiq.
Already, Kanpur SP is divided over issues with one group reaching Lucknow with the contention that fielding a mafia image person may spoil party’s image and the candidature of Atiq should be changed however another group is in his support.
Presently the seat of Kanpur Cantt is held by BJP’s Raghunandan Bhadauria, a first time MLA.