The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress on Saturday criticised the Samajwadi Party (SP) decision to give a ticket to criminal-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed from the Sultanpur constituency for the 2014 elections.
BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh said, "Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has put the last nail in the coffin of his state policy of spreading communalism by giving a ticket to Atiq Ahmed. We still remember a young leader starting his journey by refusing to accept D.P. Yadav, but after this, he inducts a number of criminals in his government. Now by giving a ticket to Atiq Ahmed who has criminal cases against him, we can only say, the SP has dug its own political grave in UP."
Congress leader Jagdampika Pal said, "UP has a young chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. He protested before the UP assembly polls, and had said that no criminal would be given a ticket for contesting elections. He should tell the public that, in what circumstances, is he giving a ticket to a criminal. Either, it is a change in his political strategy or, he is being rundown by his party members."
Janata Dal (JD-U) leader K.C. Tyagi said, "We are against giving tickets to people like Atiq Ahmed, who have criminal records and a tainted background. The Election Commission, the Supreme Court and all parties should take steps to avoid such people from entering parliament."
The SP on Friday had given a ticket to Atiq Ahmed from Sultanpur constituency for the 2014 general elections. Ahmed has a number of cases registered against him, including the murder of Bahujan Samaj Party leader Raju Pal in 2005. He was also accused of leading an attack on BSP chief Mayawati in 1995 at a state guesthouse after her party withdrew support to the then SP Government.