Salem's target: A win in UP polls

His native place is notorious for supplying sharp-shooters for the Mumbai underworld. Now, Abu Salem, an accused in 1993 Mumbai blasts, wants to contest the Assembly elections in early 2007 from his hometown of Mubarakpur in Azamgarh district.

The don, extradited from Portugal months ago, is lodged in Arthur Road jail in Mumbai.

"Abu Salem is innocent. He has been framed in the case. He wants to contest the elections to tell the truth to the people'' Abu's counsel Harjot Singh said.

"We will soon approach a court to seek permission for him to file his nomination whenever elections are held in UP," he said.

Abu Salem has also asked his family members in Sarai Mir town of Azamgarh district to start preparing for his political future. His another lawyer, Mohammad Rashid Ansari, confirmed this.

Abdullah, the don's nephew, said Abu Salem had asked him to do the groundwork. Confident of his uncle's electoral prospects, he said, "Other candidates might find it hard to stand up against Salem should he decide to contest."

Though the family members of the don have shifted to Saraimir town, Mubarakpur remains his "actual" hometown. Twenty per cent voters in the constituency are from Salem's Muslim-Ansari community.

Salem was extradited from Portugal on November 11, 2005.

Eight cases are pending against him, three each in Mumbai and Delhi and one each in Hyderabad and Lucknow. He has been charged with supplying arms and explosives for the blasts, which killed over 200 people.