The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will make an effort to not field any ‘bahubali’ (strongman) or mafia as a candidate in the upcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, party chief Mayawati said on Friday, as she denied ticket to jailed party MLA Mukhtar Ansari from Mau. BSP state unit chief Bhim Rajbhar would be the candidate from Mau instead of Ansari.
“BSP’s efforts will be that no mafia or strongman gets party ticket in the upcoming UP assembly polls. Keeping this in mind, not Mukhtar Ansari but Bhim Rajbhar has been finalised for the Mau constituency,” Mayawati said in a Twitter post.
“I appeal to the party in charge to take special care while selecting the party candidates so that if the government is formed, strict action will be taken against such elements. There is no problem in taking action against the gangsters,” she added.
Ansari, 58, rejoined the BSP after seven years in 2017, before the last UP election after his talks with the Samajwadi Party failed. Ansari has been charged in over 50 criminal cases, including murder and kidnapping. He has been in jails across UP on various charges.
The BSP chief’s announcement comes after Mukhtar Ansari’s brother Sibghatullah Ansari joined the Samajwadi Party on August 28, while gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his wife Shaishta Praveen joined the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul- Muslimeen (AIMIM) led by Asaduddin Owaisi on September 7.
{{/usCountry}}The BSP chief’s announcement comes after Mukhtar Ansari’s brother Sibghatullah Ansari joined the Samajwadi Party on August 28, while gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his wife Shaishta Praveen joined the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul- Muslimeen (AIMIM) led by Asaduddin Owaisi on September 7.
{{/usCountry}}Soon after her statement, the AIMIM, which has announced to contest 100 seats, offered Ansari a ticket. “If Ansari wants to contest the election, the doors of AIMIM are open for him. We will give him a ticket and ensure his victory also,” party spokesperson Syed Asim Waqar told news agency PTI.