EC's noose: Jailed MLAs find going tough

Lucknow, May 6 (UNI) The tightening noose of the Election Commission is making the going tough for two Uttar Pradesh politicians, contesting the ongoing assembly elections.

Former state minister Amarmani Tripathi and Independent MLA Mukhtar Ansari have been shifted out of prisons of their ''choice'' by the EC. While Tripathi is the prime accused in the murder of poetess Madhumita Shukla, Ansari is charged with killing BJP MLA Krishnand Rai.

Though Tripathi is seeking re-elections from Laxmipur constituency in eastern UP's Maharajganj, Anasri is contesting from Mau, also in east UP. Tripathi, till recently lodged in Gorakhpur jail, was shifted to a Dehradun jail in neighbouring Uttrakhand.

Now the don-turned politician is finding it tough to campaign in the elections. His brother Ajitmani is now holding fort for him. A section of the media had claimed that Tripathi had managed to address an election meeting in Laxmipur using a cell phone.

The anti-Amarmani campaign launched by slain poetess' sister Nidhi Shukla in Laxmipur has further compounded troubles for the jailed politician.

Ansari too is finding the Jhansi jail uncomfortable as the distance has proved to be a problem for him to carry out campaigning in faraway Mau. Till a few days ago, Ansari, along with his MP brother Afzal Ansari and brother-in-law Aijaz-ul-Haq was lodged in the Ghazipur jail.

His men are distributing pamphlets highlighting the achievements of the Independent MLA. The handouts point at the constant power supply in the district as compared to neighbouring areas.

UNI