Chand, who divorced Fiza over phone from London, said she was a “closed chapter” for him and that he divorced her because of her remarks against him. “I no longer want to be associated with her,” he said.

“What can be worse than a woman blaming her husband of rape? I liked her, but after she levelled such serious allegations, I decided to divorce her,” he said, adding that Fiza “was publicity hungry”.

Chand said he did try to inform her before leaving for London. “The day I left, I informed Fiza’s mother as she was sleeping at the time. I am not a two-year-old child that I would be kidnapped, as she claimed,” he said.

Commenting on her decision to contest elections, Chand said: “If Fiza wants to contest elections against me, she can go ahead. But before that, ask her to get

only 25 per cent votes in her own locality, and I promise I will leave politics.”

“When we were together, a number of friends helped us financially. And the day I left her house, there was over Rs 1 crore with her,” he alleged.

The Congress MLA from Kalka said he wanted to contest the upcoming Assembly elections. “I am still a true Congressman and all set to contest the coming elections. I will again get into active politics and meet my workers soon. I am hopeful that the supporters who left me (after his conversion and marriage to Fiza) will soon come back,” he said.

Chand said though he was still a Muslim, he would think about reconverting to Hinduism. “I am still a Muslim and using the name Chand Mohammad. As for embracing Hinduism again, I have to think over it,” he said.

He said he wanted to return to his family. “I had been in London since March 4. I had gone there for the treatment of alcoholism,” he said. “I want to return to my family but have not been able to meet them till now. If my family approves, I will certainly like to stay back (with them).”

“The last word I had with my father Bhajan Lal and son Siddharth was after the recent Lok Sabha results,” he added.

Fiza reacts

‘He has no respect for women’