Azamgarh (Uttar Pradesh) Extradited gangster Abu Salem, a key accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, is seriously considering contesting the forthcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, his counsel said.
Lawyer Ashok Saravgi, who on Saturday met the district authorities, said there was no technical problem in Salem contesting the polls, scheduled early next year.
"There is no such case against him that could bar him from contesting the elections and his decision to do so was absolutely correct," he told PTI, adding that the cases against him were similar to those being faced by some other politicians in the country.
On the absence of Salem's name in the electoral list, he said it was there till he left the country in 1994.
"There is no legal problem in including his name in the voters' list after his return to the country," Saravgi said, adding Salem had sought his views on contesting the election from the district.
Giving reasons for visiting the district, he said that besides lodging his protest with the district authorities over removal of Salem's posters congratulating the people on Diwali and Eid, he also met Salem's suppoters.
"The district magistrate said that the posters had been removed only from government buildings as they had been put up there illegally," Saravgi said.
Salem's counsel said that he would take legal action if he was stopped from contesting on flimsy technical grounds.
A CD was being prepared on the life of Salem and would be used for campaigning as he was not in a position to visit the constituency, he said. Salem's family and supporters would manage his election campaign, he added.
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