Quami Ekta Dal, led by Mukhtar Ansari has announced that it will support Congress candidate Ajay Rai from Varanasi constituency in the Lok Sabha polls. His brother Afzal Ansari had earlier announced support to Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejrwal, who is also contesting BJP stalwart Narendra Modi. Mukhtar Ansari also withdrew from the Lok Sabha contest in Varanasi earlier this month.

Mukhtar, mafia-don-turned Politician faces several cases and he is now in jail. He is a member of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly from Mau. He had earlier said he would take on BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in Varanasi.

Mukhtar Ansari finished second in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls in Varanasi. BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi scraped through by a few thousand votes.