BAREILLY: Triple talaq victim and women’s rights activist Shamina Begum on Sunday said that she wants to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Rampur on a BJP ticket.

Interestingly, the Sambhal resident had earlier shown her intention to contest polls as an independent candidate. Now, Shamina said that she had written a letter to BJP president Amit Shah seeking time to meet him.

“The BJP is the only political party which had been supporting me during my struggle so far,” Shamina said, adding that she wants to support the party by contesting polls. This, she said, would also help her raise issues related to triple talaq more effectively, especially if elected as an MP in the future.

“I believe BJP will support me again. I will be able to secure the party’s symbol from Rampur, where my paternal residence is located. This is a golden opportunity for BJP to show its opponents and voters the intention to fight for triple talaq victims and the cause,” she also said.

Notably, on March 12, when Shamina made an announcement that she would contest the elections as an independent candidate, she had criticised the BJP for using triple talaq victims for its political gain.

Shamina was married to a Delhi resident, Jawed Anwar, in 1999, with whom she has two children. After Anwar used ‘triple talaq’ against her in 2004, she married Riazuddin of Bulandshahr. However, she again became a triple talaq victim in 2012.

