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Journalism of Courage
After declaring Arun Shanker Shukla alias Anna, a don, as her party8217;s candidate for Unnao Lok Sabha seat, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati has appointed a history-sheeter as in charge of party affairs in Assembly constituency of Ayodhya.
Krishna Kumar Pandey alias Kakku, who was externed from Ambedkar Nagar district last month, faces 16 criminal cases, including those of murder and attempt to murder.
8220;There are five murder and seven attempt to murder cases pending against Kakku. He had also been booked twice under the Gangster Act,8221; said Inspector S N Gupta of Ambedkar Nagar police station.
Ambedkar Nagar District Magistrate Vikas Gothalwal confirmed that Kakku was externed from the district last month. 8220;He was externed for six months under the Goonda Act,8221; the DM said.
Pandey was earlier BSP8217;s vice-president in Sultanpur district and had fought Assembly election from Isauli constituency.
Confirming the BSP8217;s decision to appoint Kakku as party8217;s in-charge of Ayodhya seat, party8217;s Faizabad district president Roshan Lal Tyagi said, 8220;It was the party8217;s decision to bring him to Ayodhya. The announcement was made at the party8217;s zonal meeting at Faizabad on Sunday.8221;
Speaking to The Indian Express, Kakku said the party had sent him to Ayodhya to 8220;improve8221; its position in the area. During the 2007 Assembly election, BSP8217;s Ashok Kumar Tiwari had come third.
Kakku was a prime accused in the July 2004 murder case of Ambedkar Nagar Vyapar Mandal general secretary Anand Kumar Singh. He was also allegedly involved in the murder of contractor Satinder Singh in Faizabad in 1996.
Earlier, in July, the BSP had inducted MLA Dhananjay Singh, who once carried a reward of Rs 50,000.
Singh was elected to the Vidhan Sabha from Junpur8217;s Rari constituency under the banner of Sharad Yadav8217;s Janata Dal United.
