Men of dishonour: The party dons

Here's a list of some of the bad boys in Indian politics ? and the political parties they patronise.

Mukhtar Ansari: The independent MLA from Mau in Eastern Uttar Pradesh is allegedly involved in criminal cases from extortion to kidnapping and murder. He is said to have been involved in the 2005 communal riots in Mau, and is one of the key accused in the killing of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai. Lodged in Lucknow jail, he has enjoyed the support of Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party, though he currently backs Mulayam Singh’s Samajwadi Party (his elder brother Afzal Ansari is the party’s MP from Ghazipur).

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DP Yadav: The former Rajya Sabha member has flirted at different times with the Bharatiya Janta Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party. Cases registered against him range from murder, to kidnapping and land-grabbing. His son Vikas Yadav is a key accused in the murder of Nitish Katara has been jailed in Tihar.

Pappu Yadav: Lodged in Tihar Jail, the Rashtriya Janata Dal MP from Madhepura in Bihar is an accused in the murder of Ajit Sarkar, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA from Purnea. His transfer to Tihar followed allegations that he was running an extortion business from Patna jail.

Mohmmad Shahabuddin: The Rashtriya Janata Dal MP from Siwan, has over 25 cases registered against him. He is accused of having links with the ISI and even Dawood Ibrahim. Shot into the limelight following his alleged involvement in the murder of JNU student leader Chandrashekhar in 1997.