New Delhi: Despite fielding a candidate in Lucknow Lok Sabha constituency, Congress today (April 15,2004) said that Ram Jethmalani has told the party that he would not withdraw from the contest against Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Terming as "a blot" on Indian Democracy Vajpayee's appeal to Jethmalani to withdraw his candidature, the party spokesman Kapil Sibal told reporters that such a person should not be a claimant for the Prime Minister's post.

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Political Parties in India

Jethmalani, who suddenly left for London last night along with his ailing son for his treatment, categorically had told him that he would not withdraw from the contest and this should be conveyed to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and that he would return home in a day or two, Sibal said.

"It appears Vajpayee is scared. He may suffer a defeat. Jethmalani and Vajpayee had been together for a long time. He has worked as a Minister under him. Maybe Jethmalani knows many things which people do not know," Sibal said.

To a question, Sibal explained that Rajya Sabha member Akhilesh Das today filed his nomination papers as a Congress candidate in Lucknow as a precautionary measure. In the event of Jethmalani's inability to return home depending on the condition of his son, the Congress nominee should be there, he said.

"If he returns, Das will withdraw his candidature" in favour of Jethmalani who has filed his nomination papers as an independent, Sibal said.