PATNA: Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Shakeel Ahmed was on Sunday suspended from the party "with immediate effect" for contesting as an Independent from the Madhubani Lok Sabha seat in Bihar which goes to polls on Monday.
According to a release issued by AICC general secretary Motilal Vora at New Delhi, shared by the partys state unit here, Ahmed - who had won the Madhubani seat for the Congress in 2004 "has been suspended with immediate effect" for going against the party decision.
Besides, Congress MLA Bhavana Jha, who represents Benipatti assembly segment falling under Madhubani, has been suspended "for anti-party activities".
The seat has fallen into the kitty of fledgling outfit Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) which is a constituent of the Mahagathbandhan besides Congress, RJD, RLSP and HAM.
Currently, it is held by BJP veteran Hukumdev Narayan Yadav who has been replaced by his son Ashok Yadav this time.
MLA Bhawana Jha has also been suspended with Shakeel Ahmad for six years. Polling is in progress in Madhubani where Ashok Yadav, son of sitting BJP MP Hukum Deo Narayan Yadav, is first time contesting in place of his father as BJP candidate against Badrinath Purbey of VIP.
Ahmad was elected from Madhubani in 1998 and 2004 on party ticket and had served as junior minister in Dr Manmohan Singh led UPA government.
(With PTI inputs)