AAP challenger to Sonia in Rae Bareli pulls out of race

In a huge setback for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), its candidate Justice (retd) Fakhruddin has withdrawn from the electoral fray in Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency from where Congress president Sonia Gandhi is contesting.

The AAP led by Arvind Kejriwal has confirmed the development on Tuesday.

Confirming the news, the party said that the former Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh high court judge has recused himself from the polls.

AAP state spokesman Vaibhav Maheshwari told reporters that he informed the party that he would not be available for the Lok Sabha election.

The party has now decided to field Archana Srivastava, a social worker against Sonia Gandhi.

The AAP has fielded poet-turned-politician Kumar Vishwas against Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi in Amethi.

BJP’s candidate from Amethi, activist and lawyer Ajay Agarwal filed his nomination papers Monday.

—IANS