Making a foray into politics, Azamgarh-based Ulema Council on Friday announced its plan to contest from over a dozen parliamentary constituencies in Uttar Pradesh in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
"The central committee of the council has decided to field candidates from Muslim dominated constituencies," national convenor of the council Amir Rashadi Madni said while releasing a list of five candidates.
The candidates announced for the five seats are Ambrish Mishra from Lucknow, Javed Akhtar - Azamgarh, Chandrama Saroj - Lalganj, Tasleem Ahmad Rehmani - Jaunpur and Sohan Ram - Machlishahar.
"Other than these, the council plans to contest election from Rae Bareli, Amethi, Lakhimpur, Dhahraura, Kanpur, Sitapur, Mishrik, Shahjahanpur, Akbarpur, Bijnore, Bulandshahar, Aligarh and Moradabad," he said.
Madni said in constituencies where the council will not field its candidate, it will support nominees of smaller parties and independents, who express their solidarity with the council's ideology and mission.
He, however, ruled out any possibility of extending support to any major political party. "We will not support the Congress, the Samajwadi Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party," he said.