Congress candidate Tariq Anwar got the ticket to the Katihar Lok Sabha seat in the Grand Alliance's seat sharing. Here, RJD Rajya Sabha member and Managing Director of Katihar Medical College, Ahmed Ashfaq Karim has said that he will contest the elections as an independent candidate from Katihar.

He has also taken NR on Monday to file nomination forms. After a marathon meeting with supporters and workers in Patna, Karim decided to contest the elections as an independent. According to those close to him, he can file a nomination on April 4.

He will contest the elections as an independent candidate

Ashfaq Karim said on the telephone that he would return from Patna on Tuesday. After this, the, the date of enrollment will be decided. He clearly said that he would contest the elections as an independent candidate. In 2000, he contested the assembly elections from Barsoi on Congress ticket.

LJP had given him a ticket in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. Both times he had to face defeat. Ashfaq Karim has about 10 more days of his tenure left in Rajya Sabha. Apart from being the Managing Director of Katihar Medical College, he is also the Chancellor of the private sector Al Kareem University.

This seat was going to go to RJD's account

From the very beginning, there was a tussle between Congress and RJD in the grand alliance on Katithe har seat. After seat sharing in the Grand Alliance five days ago, KatiKatihar'st went to the Congress. Till a day before the seat sharing, there was a lot of discussion about the seat going to RJD and Ashfaq Karim getting the ticket.

Preparations for this had also been started by the supporters. Ashfaq Karim's entry into the election fray and AIMIM's announcement of fielding a candidate from Katihar will lead to the mentation of Muslim votes. There are more than 18 lakh voters in Katihar. Of these, 42 percent are Muslims.