Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat – Montasser al Zayat, the Egyptian Islamist lawyer and candidate for the upcoming parliamentary elections in the Boulaq al Dakrour constituency in Giza blasted the Muslim Brotherhood on Thursday and accused the group of seeking to exclude other Muslims from politics and not accepting other Islamist groups on the political scene.

Al Zayyat expressed his surprise at the Brotherhood’s antagonistic stance towards him and its decision to stand against him in the elections as it decided to field its own candidate, Gamal Ashri, in the same constituency, despite withdrawing its nominees in al Wayli district in Cairo. The group has also refrained from fielding candidates in areas where government officials and ministers were standing.

Mohammed Habib, the Brotherhood’s deputy supreme guide heading the parliamentary campaign indicated the group did not wish to pile the pressure al Zayyat but that circumstances had forced it to field a strong candidate chosen by the membership to represent it in the next parliament.