Hindu Mahasabha fields Malegaon blast accused in UP elections from 2 constituencies

From: Indian Express

Malegaon blast accused in fray from 2 seats

Manish Sahu : Lucknow, Wed Jan 18 2012, 01:21 hrs

The Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha has decided to field retired Major Ramesh Upadhyay, an accused in the Malegaon blast case, in the forthcoming Assembly election from two seats of Uttar Pradesh — Ballia’s Bairia and Meerut Sadar.

Upadhyay, 60, is lodged in Taloja Central Jail in Raigarh, Maharashtra.

Hindu Mahasabha’s state general secretary Naveen Tyagi said an application would be moved in court for Upadhyay’s release on bail or parole for canvassing in the election.

The special MCOCA court in Mumbai has granted permission to Upadhyay to file nomination from the jail, his son Vishal told The Indian Express over phone from Pune. Upadhyay lived in Hadapsar locality of Pune along with wife Indu and their four children.

Before his arrest, Vishal said, his father wanted to contest the election from his native place in Ballia. He is a native of Dalan Chopra village in the Bairia constituency in Ballia. His brothers and relatives still live there.

“I have been informed that nominations for the Ballia seat have begun from today. I will leave for Ballia tomorrow,” said Vishal, who is studying law.

Major Upadhyay was arrested in November 2008 for his alleged involvement in the Malegaon blast, in which six persons were killed and more than 100 injured on September 29, 2008. He was accused of conspiring for the blast with prime accused Lt Col S P Purohit, who is also lodged in jail.

While the police had arrested 12 persons in all, the Bombay High Court granted bail to three of them last year.

Naveen Tyagi said they chose the Meerut seat for Upadhyay because it was one of three cities in UP where Hindu Mahasabha had a good presence.

“We believe Upadhyay and others were falsely implicated in the case,” said Tyagi, adding that members of the Hindu Mahasabha would provide full support and help to Upadhyay.

He said the Mahasabha would contest 150 seats, and names of 60 candidates have been decided.