Jaffer Sharief to queer Congress pitch

Bengaluru: Congress veteran C.K. Jaffer Sharief, who is upset over denial of ticket to him to contest the Lok Sabha elections, on Tuesday said that he has quit the party, snapping his six-decade-old association with it.

“I have faxed my resignation from the Congress primary membership to AICC President Sonia Gandhi, but will not contest Lok Sabha elections,” he said over phone from Mecca, where he is on a pilgrimage since March 19.

A seven-time Lok Sabha member, 83-year-old Sharief, whose claim for ticket from Bangalore Central was overlooked in favour of Youth Congress chief Rizwan Arshad, did not share contents of his letter. Asked whether he would join the JD(S) to contest the April 17 Lok Sabha elections, Mr Sharief said he did not want to be associated with one party and work within the framework of it. “However, I am ready to work for secular parties,” he said. On whether he would campaign for the JD(S), the former Union minister said, “Yes I would.”

He also described JD(S) supremo Deve Gowda as a secular leader and a “good friend”. Mr Sharief on March 14 indicated he was keeping open the option of joining the JD(S) after the Congress plumped for Mr Arshad for the Bangalore Central seat.

In a letter to Mr Gowda, Mr Sharief conveyed that he won’t contest the polls, but would work for the Third Front. Thanking Mr Gowda and his son, former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, for offering him to contest from the Mysore Lok Sabha constituency, he said, “As I had promised, I have to seek the guidance of Allah the Almighty at Mecca... finally I got the guidance not to contest any Lok Sabha election from anywhere in the country.”

Stating that he was free to campaign for anyone he liked, Mr Sharief said, “I have decided to support non-BJP secular parties. I will be glad and happy to work for the Third Front.”

Mr Sharief had earlier written to Mrs Gandhi not to field any candidate against Mr Gowda, raising many eyebrows.