National   

Samata to contest in 11 States

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, MARCH 22. The Samata Party led by Brahmanand Mandal, which has recently been recognised as a separate political entity, will field candidates in 11 States. The party will contest on `mashal' (torch), the original Samata symbol.

Addressing a press conference here today along with three general secretaries and State party presidents, Mr. Mandal said the party's national executive and parliamentary board met here on Sunday and decided to field candidates. The aim is to win as many seats as possible and gain recognition as a national party.

While Mr. Mandal, the sitting MP from Mungyr (Bihar), will again contest from this seat, a party general secretary, N.K. Singh, will take on the Food Minister, Sharad Yadav (JD-U) from Madhepura in Bihar and the former Lok Sabha Speaker, Rabi Ray, will contest from Burdwan in West Bengal. The party will also field candidates against former Samata leaders, George Fernandes in Nalanda and Nitish Kumar in Barh.

Mr. Fernandes, then president of the Samata, merged the party with the JD(U) but the move was challenged by Mr. Mandal before the Election Commission, and defeated. Mr. Mandal had made the plea that under the Constitution even if one primary member of an erstwhile party remained, the party had to be given recognition. Mr. Mandal is the lone MP in the Samata.

Asked about the issues to be taken up by his party, he said it would fight against criminalisation of politics.

The party will contest nine seats in Assam, two in Arunanchal, 14 seats in Bihar, four in Jharkhand, 10 in Uttar Pradesh, two (Ambala, Rohtak) in Haryana, three in Delhi (Karol Bagh, Chandni Chowk and East Delhi), three in West Bengal, three in Chhattisgarh, six in Jammu and Kashmir and five in Uttaranchal.

Mr. Mandal said the party would field more candidates till the fifth phase of elections.

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