BSP CHIEF Mayawati on Thursday announced that gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari and his family members have been inducted into the party and called the serious criminal charges against the jailed MLA “politically motivated” and “unproven”. Speaking to reporters at her residence, she said Mukhtar will contest on a BSP ticket from Mau seat, his son Abbas from Ghosi and his eldest brother Sibgatulla from Mohammadabad in the upcoming Assembly polls. Abbas, Sibgatulla and Afzal — former MP and Mukhtar’s brother — stood by her side as she defended Mukhtar who faces 13 criminal cases, including four related to murder. WATCH VIDEO |UP CM Akhilesh Yadav Writes To PM Modi To Shift Budget After Assembly Polls Mayawati said her previous governments had “always ensured no injustice was done to people who were accused of serious criminal offences by their opponents because of their influence in their community”. “Our government also protected such people and gave them importance. One special example is the minority community family of Mukhtar Ansari who, because of their rising influence, were implicated in several cases by their rivals to malign their image,” she said. Mayawati said Ansari and his relatives were inducted into the BSP in 2009 and contested polls as party nominees, but they had to dissociate from the BSP because of Samajwadi Party’s pressure. “They have expressed regret and that is why they have been taken back,” she said. While expelling them in April 2010, the BSP had cited their “continued involvement in criminal activities”. Mayawati said Mukhtar and his family have been accused of involvement in the murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai in 2005. “But it happened during SP’s rule and a lot of time has passed. There has been a CBI inquiry, but no evidence against them has been found,” she said. The BSP chief announced that three tickets have been finalised for Mukhtar and his family members. Speaking of the nomination of Mukhtar’s son Abbas, she said the party aims to bring new generation into politics. She said Abbas is an international-level sportsperson who has won national gold medals. Mayawati then cited the names of musclemen-turned-politicians associated with the BJP and SP and said her party will never induct Atiq Ahmed, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya, Ramakant Yadav, Umakant Yadav, Dhananjay Singh, Chandrapal Yadav and Deepnarain Yadav. “Many of these persons surrendered before my government and were taken into the party to contest elections. But when they restarted their criminal activities, they were thrown out,” she said. “There are some good people who go on the wrong path because of bad company. The BSP has never had criminal elements but our party gives an opportunity to those who have gone on wrong paths and want to come to the right path,” she said. Afzal,who is president of Quami Ekta Dal, the party the family formed in 2010 after being ousted from the BSP, said SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav asked him to merge QED with SP after they sought votes of Mukhtar and Sibgatulla in the Rajya Sabha elections last summer. “I agreed, but the merger was rejected during their feud. The limit of deceit was reached when they refused tickets to our two MLAs (Mukhtar and Sibgatulla). Mulayam Singh himself told me that Akhilesh is anti-minority. Akhilesh insulted us and he will have to suffer its consequences. If Behenji asks me, I will try to expose them before people. One thing has become clear to the minorities, if there is any power that can stop the BJP, it is Mayawati,” he said.
