Lucknow: The ticket given to the Malegaon bomb blast accused Major Ramesh Shivji by the JD (U) earlier today has been cancelled by the party, sources confirm. Upadhyay was fielded from the Ballia Assembly in Uttar Pradesh in the first list of candidates released on Tuesday by the JD (U), ahead of the upcoming UP Assembly polls 2022.
The accused was released on conditional bail by a special NIA court in Mumbai. In the Malegaon blast that shook the nation on September 29, 2008, six persons were killed and several others were injured. Retired Major Upadhyay was arrested for involvement in the blasts from Pune in the same year.
Also read: Malegaon blast case: UP CM Yogi Adityanath alleges terrorist nurturing by Congress
In December last year, national president of JD (U) Rajeev Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh said his party was informed that BJP is ready for an alliance with them for the upcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and hoped to win the elections. "We were informed that BJP is ready for an alliance with us for the upcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. We have given them a list for the same. We hope to win the upcoming elections," Singh had said.
Elections to the 403 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases starting February 10. The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, and March 3 and 7 in seven phases. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.
With inputs from agencies
