JD(U) leader Mohammed Ali Ashraf Fatmi quits, likely to rejoin RJD

Former Union Minister Mohammed Ali Ashraf Fatmi resigns from JD(U) to protect moral values, likely to join RJD for Lok Sabha poll.

Janata Dal (United) general secretary and former Union Minister Mohammed Ali Ashraf Fatmi on March 19 resigned from the party to protect his “moral values”. Mr. Fatmi is likely to return to the Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) with the hope of contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha poll from Darbhanga or Madhubani seats.

“I have resigned from the primary membership of the party and from all posts of JD(U) to protect my moral values. Regarding my future course of action, it will be known in a few days”, Mr. Fatmi told media persons. He has sent his resignation letter to party president and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

As per the seat-sharing arrangement finalised among NDA allies on March 18, both the Madhubani and Darbhanga seats went to the BJP quota. Mr. Fatmi had won from the Darbhanga Lok Sabha seat four times so far.

It is said that he had wanted to contest the upcoming polls from Darbhanga or Madhubani seats. He is likely to place the same demand with the RJD too.

Mr. Fatmi had joined the JD(U) ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha poll. In the UPA-2 government at the Centre in 2004-2009, he was the Junior Education Minister. His son Faraz Fatmi won the Assembly election in 2015 from the Keoti constituency in Darbhanga district.