UP elections: Mukhtar Ansari, kin rejoin Bahujan Samaj Party, will contest from Mau

Mukhtar Ansari, who merged his party Quami Ekta Dal with Samajwadi Party last October, is currently lodged in Lucknow jail.

The four time MLA and don turned politician, Mukthar Ansari, and his brother Afzal Ansari joined the Bahujan Samaj Party on Thursday. Making this announcement at a press conference, BSP supremo, Mayawati said that Ansari's family had been framed by his political opponents. Ansari also decided to merge his Quami Ekta Dal with the BSP.

Mayawati defended the move saying that the allegations against the jailed leader have been not been proven so far. "In par lage aarop abhi tak saabit nahi kar paaye iss baat ko dhyaan mein rakh kar aaj party mein wapas liya (The allegations against him haven't been proven so far; keeping that in mind, we have inducted him once again into the party)," said Mayawati.

Mukthar Ansari's son, Abbas Ansari, will now contest the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections from the Ghosi constituency. The Samajwadi Party's spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia, while reacting to this development, said that if the BSP thinks it will win by getting people with criminal backgrounds, then it would stand exposed when the results are announced.

"There have not been any criminal elements in BSP, but if some people want to improve under the BSP umbrella, we give them a chance," Mayawati added.

Mayawati, however, said that she is known for acting against her own party people. "I have done so as the chief minister and will ensure that excellent law and order is maintained," the BSP asserted.

Ansari was first elected on a BSP ticket to the UP assembly in 1996. In the 2002 and 2007 elections, he however contested as an independent. He rejoined the BSP in 2007. He was expelled from the party in 2010 owing to alleged criminal activities. He formed the QED the same year and was elected MLA from Mau in the 2012 UP assembly elections.