Mayawati drops Mukhtar Ansari, says won’t field dons

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 10

Close on the heels of BJP’s accusations that she leads a party that shelters criminals, BSP chief Mayawati today dropped jailed legislator Mukhtar Ansari as candidate in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh elections and said state unit president Bhim Rajbhar will replace the don in Azamgarh’s Mau Assembly segment.

Ansari (58) faces criminal charges in nearly 50 cases and is under trial for offences as grave as murder. Mayawati announced today that in the state elections, the BSP would try not to field any gangster or don. Her remarks sought to present the BSP as a viable alternative to the ruling BJP, which touts law and order as its major achievement. “Our pledge is to ensure the rule of law by the law,” Mayawati said.

Mayawati had personally campaigned for Ansari in the 2017 elections when he rejoined the BSP after a hiatus of seven years.

Jagdeep Chhokar, founding member and trustee of Association of Democratic Reforms, welcomed the development saying, “We hope the trend catches up and other parties follow suit.”