Two days after the Asaduddin Owaisi-led-AIMIM opened its arms to the notorious gangster Mukhtar Ansari for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha polls as BSP rejected a party ticket to him, the party has now vowed to not field any candidates against him, reported Republic TV. Ansari is a 5-time MLA from the Mau constituency and is currently lodged at the Banda jail in Uttar Pradesh.
In a statement on Sunday (September 12), AIMIM (Uttar Pradesh) chief Shaukat Ali emphasised that the party will not put up an opposition candidate against the gangster. Ali had questioned Bahujan Samajwadi party supremo Mayawati after she had distanced herself and her party from Ansari. “I want to ask Mayawati, was he (Mukhtar Ansari) not a gangster earlier? Has he become a gangster in 2021?”. Prior to Ansari’s rejection, his brother Sigbatullah joined Samajwadi Party, eyeing the UP polls,” remarked the AIMIM chief in Uttar Pradesh.
Earlier, Shaukat Ali had clarified that All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) would definitely give the notorious gangster an election ticket if he approached the party. He had stated that AIMIM would back Mukhtar Ansari if he chose to fight the elections on his own.
Mayawati snubs Mukhtar Ansari ahead of UP polls
While declaring that the BSP’s state chief Bhim Rajbhar would be the candidate from Mau instead of Ansari, Mayawati had tweeted on Friday (September 10), “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.”
Ansari had been booked by Ghazipur police under the Uttar Pradesh Gangster and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act. The UP government has been demolishing multiple illegal properties of Ansari spread across the state and had also cracked down on Ansari’s aides and associates, as well as his illegal businesses. Ansari, the descendant of a politically powerful family linked with Congress leaders has been a mafia don and MLA for several consecutive terms.
AIMIM inducts don Atiq Ahmed, and his wife into the party
In the presence of Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday (September 7), mafia don Atiq Ahmed’s wife Shaista Parveen was inducted into the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen. Ahmed had also joined the Islamist party in absentia. Owaisi defended the decision by alleging that the BJP too had several lawmakers (37% MLAs in UP Assembly and 117 MPs in the Parliament) with serious criminal charges pending against them.
He claimed, “…If a politician is named Pragya, Ajay, Kuldeep, Sangeet, Suresh or Kapil, he or she will be a lokpriya neta. But those named Atiq and Mukhtar will be (called) bahubali.” While justifying his decision, Owaisi asserted, “If Atiq Ahmad delivered a provocative speech before the Muzaffarnagar riots or made a speech in Gorakhpur which led to trouble and he belonging to the community which is in power, then the cases against him would have been withdrawn. This is the reality. As per Indian law, he is yet to be convicted in any case.”
He emphasised that his goal is to become an ‘independent Muslim voice’ in the State of Uttar Pradesh. Reportedly, AIMIM will contest 100 seats in the State after having forged an alliance with ‘Bhagidari Sankalp Morcha’ of Om Prakash Rajbhar. The alliance has several parties including Janta Kranti Paryu, Apna Dal (Krishna Patel), Rashtroday Party, Rashtriya Bhagidari Party, SSBP and AIMIM. Owaisi had earlier bagged 5 seats in the Bihar State legislative elections, paving way for the Islamist party’s expansion in other States.stated.
