HC REFUSES TO RELEASE ANSARI ON PAROLE
The Delhi high court on Monday refused to release gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari on parole for campaigning in the ongoing UP polls. Justice Mukta Gupta allowed the plea of Election Commission seeking cancellation of custody parole granted by a trial court here to Ansari, who is contesting the assembly polls from Mau Sadar constituency on a BSP ticket.
Two court orders concerning gangster-turned politician Mukhtar Ansari and jailed former minister Amarmani Tripathi’s son Amanmani Tripathi are likely to make an impact on the UP assembly election in part of the Purvanchal region where voting will be held in the sixth phase on March 4.
The Delhi high court set aside the parole granted to Mukhtar Ansari by trial court. Similarly, Allahabd High Court rejected the parole application of Amanmani Tripathi on Monday.
Riding piggyback on Ansari, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was planning to mobilise Muslim voters in the East UP.
After the Quami Ekta Dal (QED) merged with it, the BSP fielded Mukhtar from Mau assembly constituency, his brother Sibgatulla Ansari, a sitting MLA, from Mohammadabad seat in Ghazipur district and his son Abbas from Ghosi.
Party leaders hoped that Mukhtar campaigning in the region will tilt the Muslim vote in its favour in the crucial sixth phase.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Amit Shah was quick to comment at a rally in Ballia: “Mayawati said she will end goondaraj in UP but her posters with Mukhtar show that she requires support of criminal elements to capture power.”
By inducting Mukhtar and his family members in the BSP, the party planned to counter the Samajwadi Party (SP)-Congress alliance that is working on backward-Muslim formula to regain power.
The QED has influence in pockets of east UP, particularly the districts that have a substantial Muslim population: Mau, Azamgarh, Varanasi and Ballia. The BSP is hoping to make inroads into the SP’s Muslim votebank with QED support.
The SP won a majority of seats in these districts in 2012 assembly election.
The QED merged with the SP initially but after Akhilesh Yadav became Samajwadi Party national president, he rejected the alliance. Terming Akhilesh anti- Muslim, Afzal Ansari, Mukhtar’s brother and QED national president, said: “We will teach the SP a lesson in the assembly election.” The BSP hopes to cash in on the anger among Muslims during the poll.
As for Amanmani Tripathi, he is contesting as an independent candidate from Nautanwa assembly seat in Maharajganj. The SP initially named Amanmani its candidate from Nautanwa but later the ticket was given to sitting Congress MLA Kaushal Singh alias Munna Singh.
Rivalry between Amarmani Triapthi and Munna is known in the region.
Amanmani, an accused in murder of his wife Sara, is lodged in jail. Rejection of parole application has upset his plan to campaign in the area. The SP has already expelled his family members from the party. With Amanmani behind bars, the contest is likely among SP, BJP and BSP candidates.
PARTY LEADERS HOPED THAT MUKHTAR CAMPAIGNING IN THE REGION WILL TILT THE MUSLIM VOTE IN ITS FAVOUR IN THE CRUCIAL SIXTH PHASE.