AIMIM may field 2020 riots accused Shahrukh Pathan in Delhi polls

During the 2020 riots, Pathan had allegedly pointed a gun at a policeman, and later his picture with the gun went viral on social media.

Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM is considering fielding jailed Shahrukh Pathan, an accused in the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots case, as its candidate in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections, party leaders said on Sunday.

However, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has not made any decision on Pathan's candidacy yet, they said.

AIMIM's Delhi unit president Shoaib Jamei told PTI that the party is considering Pathan's name, but no decision has been made yet.

AIMIM recently fielded Tahir Hussain, another 2020 riots accused, from the Mustafabad constituency after the former AAP councillor joined the Owaisi's party. On Monday, Jamei met Pathan's family here, and shared about the meeting along with a photo on Facebook.

On Wednesday, he also said the AIMIM plans to contest 12 seats in the upcoming polls and the party is finalising candidates. During the 2020 riots, Pathan had allegedly pointed a gun at a policeman, and later his picture with the gun went viral on social media. He was subsequently arrested and has been in jail since.

Elections to the 70-member Delhi Assembly are due to be held in February next year.

The AAP ruling in Delhi since 2015 is likely to have a direct fight with the BJP, as party's national convener Arvind Kejriwal has ruled out possibility of any alliance with the Congress.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)