Cong's Basti candidate refuses to contest

Congress candidate from Basti Lok Sabha seat, MLA Sanjay Kumar Jaiswal, today refused to contest the election, saying he would fight the polls after a sexual harassment charge leveled against him was proved wrong.

In a letter written to party president Sonia Gandhi, Jaiswal has stated that the Congress government had done a lot for women empowerment, but unfortunately he has been accused of harassing a woman.

"I will not contest election till the charges against me are proved wrong..I have full faith in the party," Jaiswal stated.

The legislator has been accused of sexual harassment by a woman, who has filed an FIR against him at the Hazratganj police station of Lucknow.