Quami Ekta Dal's Afzal Ansari rules out support to Modi

VARANASI: Quami Ekta Dal president Afzal Ansari on Tuesday ruled out support to BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in Varanasi. He said that a decision on the extending support would be taken at the end of nomination process.
"We made a sacrifice by not fielding a candidate because we wanted to stop Modi from becoming the PM by ensuring his defeat in Varanasi," said Afzal while talking to reporters.
The press meet was called after a few local newspapers reported that Afzal was keen to see Modi as PM and had quoted him saying that minority community would be happy under Modi's leadership. The reports were not welcomed by the BJP leader as its state president Laxmikant Vajpayee had stated that the BJP was not keen to seek QED support.
On Tuesday, he further clarified, "Our decision to spare Varanasi seat for other secular parties was aimed at ensuring Modi's defeat. The strongest candidate against Modi will get QED support."
He was quite forthright on extending support to Congress candidate Ajay Rai despite the enmity between Rai and Mukhtar Ansari. "The party has no problem in supporting Rai provided he emerges as a strong candidate against Modi," he said.
He further said that the decision on support would be taken in a meeting of party workers on April 29, at the end of nomination process so that party workers could start canvassing for the selected candidate.