After SP snub, Mukhtar Ansari set to join BSP to fight UP polls from jail
BSP chief Mayawati is expected to make an official announcement on Ansari's entry into her party.
Lucknow: Rejected by the Samajwadi Party, with whom the Quami Ekta Dal had merged in 2015, don-turned politician Mukhtar Ansari is reportedly set to jump ship and join Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
According to NDTV, Ansari will join the BSP on Thursday and Mayawati will herself make the official announcement. The BSP is also ready to give three seats to him for the upcoming UP Assembly polls, which are - Ghosi, Mau and Mohammadabad.
Mayawati had already announced candidates for the three seats from her party and will have to withdraw the BSP candidates to make way for Ansari and his men.
Earlier reports had indicated that Ansari would fight the elections as an independent candidate from the Mau Sadar constituency as the Samajwadi Party has given the ticket for the seat to someone else. He is currently the sitting MLA from the seat.
Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had clearly expressed his dislike for Ansari due to his criminal background.
QED was founded in 2010 by Mukhtar, along with his brothers Afzal Ansari and Sigbatullaha Ansari. Ansari is in jail for his alleged involvement in the murder of former BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai.
Ansari had tasted repeated electoral success in in 1996 and 2002, and won twice again in 2007 and 2012 as an independent candidate while he was in jail.
Mukhtar Ansari’s son has been campaigning hard for his father and other family members are supporting him in his efforts.
“I have been canvassing door-to-door in Mau constituency seeking vote for my father. I am staying in Mau for last six months and looking after the campaign. Other members of the family too would join me soon in the campaign,” Abbas Bin Mukhtar said in an Indian Express report.
Akhilesh Yadav has given the SP ticket to Altaf Ansari for the Mau Sadar constituency.
"Mukhtar Ansari will not be welcome in the party. We don't want such people in the party," Yadav had said in 2015 after the QED had merged with his party. He had also made it clear that he did not have a say in the merger.