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Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Keeping up with UP: Can BJP penetrate the impregnable fortress of Mukhtar Ansari?
There's a legend about two gangster-turned-politicians of eastern UP. It goes like this: Mukhtar Ansari's deadly rivalry with Brijesh Singh dates back to his college days. He was fond of cricket and once had a tussle with Singh's family during a game. Mukhtar's friend was killed, triggering an unending rivalry in the region. The region may be on the boil again if the Mau assembly by-polls are held. I heard the story about the cricket rivalry in 2007, when Mukhtar, his MP brother Afzal Ansari and two other family members were in jail in connection with the Krishnanand Rai murder case. Rai was a close aide of Brijesh Singh and the enmity had led to gang wars and spread to the political arena. Mukhtar Ansari, who mostly remained in jail since 2005, died in prison in March 2024. He had 65 criminal cases lodged against him, including 14 cases of murder. On the other hand, Brijesh Singh was released from jail after 13 years in prison in August, 2022. Mukhtar Ansari belonged to an illustrious family but entered the world of crime at the age of 15. His grandfather Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari was a freedom fighter who is said to have worked closely with Mahatma Gandhi. A row of photographs in Ansari's house in Yusufpur, Mohammadabad, bear testimony to the illustrious legacy. Now with the conviction of Ansari's son Abbas in a 2022 hate speech case and the subsequent disqualification of his membership of the UP assembly, there is intense speculation in the state's political circles about the BJP strategising its first ever win from the Muslim-dominated constituency. Abbas had won the seat in 2022 on the ticket of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), then an ally of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and now a partner of the ruling BJP. Abbas has filed an appeal against the verdict of the MP/MLA court. His uncle Afzal Ansari, an SP MP, is hopeful. 'Yes, the seat has been declared vacant but we are hopeful of justice from the courts as Abbas had said nothing to disturb the communal amity in the area. Along with the appeal, an application has also been filed,' Afzal Ansari said. Since the first election in Mau in 1957 and until 1996, when Mukhtar won the seat for the first time on the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ticket, nominees from almost all political parties, including the Congress, Communist Party of India (CPI), BSP and Janata Party, have represented the constituency in the assembly except for the BJP though the party's fore-runner, the Bharatiya Jan Sangh, had won the seat in 1967. Mukhtar won five consecutive elections until 2017 but, in 2022, Mayawati refused to give him the party ticket. His son Abbas Ansari had then won the seat on the SBSP ticket and stands disqualified today though he is hoping for a reprieve from the courts. Discussions have already started in the public domain about the future of the Ansari family and what will happen if Brijesh Singh's nominee enters the fray. Of the 14 MLAs elected from the Muslim- dominated seat, nine were Muslims. However, the BJP leadership does not fear the community's rejection as the party bagged four Muslim- dominated seats in recent by-polls – Kundarki in Moradabad, Rampur Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha seats, the stronghold of Azam Khan, and Azamgarh, the seat once held by Mulayam Singh Yadav. For each win, they adopted a different strategy. Asked if the party had started strategising for the Mau seat, BJP's Muslim Morcha president Kunwar Basit Ali said, 'We are also waiting for the court verdict, but the party works round the clock and they always have viable plans.' Mau is known for its saree industry. Some traders hold Mukhtar responsible for Mau's sufferings and many have closed their shops. There are over 50,000 power looms and 80,000 weavers in the area. In 2007, when Mukhtar was alive, they had said that Mukhtar's 'boys' spread rumours and fanned fear every election by claiming that if he loses, Muslims will face a tough time. What now? How BJP won Muslim-dominated seats The BJP had won the Muslim-dominated Kundarki seat after 31 years in November 2024. The BJP's Hindu candidate Ramveer Upadhaya wore a skull cap and had started befriending Muslims much before the elections. He defeated SP nominee Mohammad Rizwan by a huge margin of over 1.28 lakh votes amid allegations of bogus voting. The Muslim vote was divided as upper caste Muslims, mainly Jat, Gujar, Pathan, Syed and Tyagi, mostly businessmen, bought peace for themselves. Similarly, the BJP wrested the prime Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat from the Samajwadi Party (SP) in the 2022 by-poll. Again, they fielded a Hindu candidate Dinesh Lal Yadav 'Nirahua' who got 3.12 lakh votes, defeating the SP candidate Dharmendra Yadav by about 8000 votes. Playing spoilsport here was the BSP whose Muslim candidate Shah Alam had polled 2.66 lakh votes. The division of votes helped the BJP. In the June 2022 by-poll, the BJP had also won the Rampur Lok Sabha seat followed by their strategic win in the Rampur assembly seats in December 2022 by-poll. One of the assembly seats of Suar was won by its ally Apna Dal (Sonelal). The BJP had never hoisted its flag on the seat since 1952.
NDTV
11-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Video: Party Worker Puts Garland On UP Politician, Then Slaps Him Multiple Times
Jaunpur (UP): A party worker reportedly slapped Mahendra Rajbhar, national president of the Suheldev Swabhiman Party (SSP), repeatedly soon after garlanding the latter on stage during a public gathering in Uttar Pradesh's Jaunpur district. After a video of the assault went viral on social media, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav condemned the incident as "another example of atrocities and insult" on PDA, alleging the BJP's complicity in it. Mr Yadav uses the abbreviation PDA for 'pichde' (backward classes), Dalits, and 'alpsankhyak' (minorities). The incident took place at Ashapur village under the Jalalpur police station limits during a function held on the occasion of Maharaja Suheldev's victory day. The event was organised to perform 'bhoomi pujan' for installing a statue of the revered Rajbhar icon in the Rajbhar-dominated Zafarabad Assembly constituency. Mahendra Rajbhar, a native of Mau district, was the chief guest at the event. To the audience's shock, Brijesh Rajbhar, a party worker, first garlanded Mahendra Rajbhar and then slapped him multiple times in full public view, causing chaos at the event. Following the assault, Mahendra Rajbhar accused Uttar Pradesh Cabinet minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president Om Prakash Rajbhar of orchestrating the attack. However, no statement has yet been issued by Om Prakash Rajbhar or the SBSP in response to the acquisition. After the incident, Mahendra Rajbhar left the venue and filed a complaint at the Jalalpur police station, naming Brijesh Rajbhar. Speaking to reporters, he claimed that Brijesh Rajbhar met Om Prakash Rajbhar four to five days before the event and that the attack was planned under the latter's direction. "Brijesh was once a worker in my party, but he currently holds no official position. I don't know how or why he came to the event or who invited him. There is no internal dispute in the party or any financial disagreement," Mahendra Rajbhar said, adding that though many people were present at the event, Brijesh Rajbhar was the one who attacked him. Confirming that Mahendra Rajbhar has lodged a complaint, Jalalpur SHO Triveni Singh said the viral video of the incident was under review as part of the investigation. Reacting to the incident, Akhilesh Yadav alleged BJP's complicity in the attack, which he termed another example of growing atrocities on PDA. 'The violent attack on senior leader Mahendra Rajbhar is yet another condemnable example of the growing insults and atrocities faced by the PDA society under BJP rule," Mr Yadav posted in Hindi on X. "If the BJP thinks it can sustain its divisive politics by breaking communities from within, it is gravely mistaken. If the BJP is not complicit in this attack, the assailant must be immediately arrested and punished for his actions," Mr Yadav said. "Violence is a manifestation of desperation. The BJP should remember that such acts will not demoralise the PDA but strengthen its resolve further. Long live the Constitution, long live the PDA,' he added. Mahendra Rajbhar was previously associated with the SBSP and served as its national vice-president before parting ways ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections to form his own party. He had accused Om Prakash Rajbhar of deviating from the party's mission and prioritising personal financial gains. In the current Uttar Pradesh Assembly, SBSP's Jagdish Narayan Rai represents Zafarabad. He won the 2022 election as part of an alliance with the Samajwadi Party.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
SP neta garlanded, then gets slapped on dais at public function in UP's Jaunpur; Akhilesh Yadav blames BJP for 'atrocities on PDA society'
A screengrab of the video that went viral on social media VARANASI: Senior politician Mahendra Rajbhar was slapped multiple times after being garlanded by Brajesh Rajbhar of the Suheldev Swabhiman Party at a function organised to mark Maharaja Suheldev's birth anniversary in the Jalalpur area of Jaunpur district on Tuesday. Mahendra had been referred to as 'Katappa' by Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he was fielded as the Bharatiya Janata Party and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) alliance candidate against gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari from the Mau Sadar seat in the 2017 assembly elections. However, after being closely associated with SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar, Mahendra opened a front against him and formed his own Suheldev Swabhiman Party in 2019. He joined the Samajwadi Party in 2022 and came close to Akhilesh Yadav . Reacting to the attack on Mahendra, Akhilesh posted on X, "The violent attack on veteran Mahendra Rajbhar is another condemnable example of the ever-increasing humiliating behaviour and atrocities on the 'PDA society' under BJP. If BJP's negligence is not involved in this attack, the assailant should be immediately arrested and punished for his act." Jaunpur SP Kaustubh told TOI in the evening, "We have taken note of the viral video of the assault on Mahendra Rajbhar, and a complaint has also been received against Brajesh Rajbhar at Jalalpur police station. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pinga-Pinga e HBP? Tome isso 1x ao dia se tem mais de 40 anos Portal Saúde do Homem Clique aqui Undo Police investigation has started in this matter, and appropriate action will be initiated as per its outcomes." The complaint stated that the attack was carried out at the behest of SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar, whose closeness with Mahendra was not hidden in Rajbhar politics before the duo parted ways. Brajesh had hosted a function in Jalalpur to honour Rajbhar icon Maharaja Suheldev. Leaders from the Rajbhar community within the Samajwadi Party were also present at the event, in which Mahendra was called by Brajesh to the dais to be felicitated. The viral video of the event showed Brajesh in his speech stating that the community's plight is due to its own people. "When our own people are at the helm, they do not advocate for their community but prefer to serve themselves and work for their families. There are many such leaders who have become tyrants, possessed by the spirit of Ghazi," he said. Saying that the name of Maharaja Suheldev is being exploited by those who are deceiving and looting the community, he appealed to the Rajbhars to abandon 'such people'. Immediately after saying this, Brajesh garlanded Mahendra and then started slapping him multiple times until others present at the dais caught him. The surprise action led to chaos at the function, and people gathered there struggled hard to normalise the atmosphere.
The Print
10-06-2025
- Politics
- The Print
UP: Party worker slaps SSP chief Mahendra Rajbhar multiple times during public event
Yadav uses the abbreviation PDA for 'pichde' (backward classes), Dalits, and 'alpsankhyak' (minorities). After a video of the assault went viral on social media, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav condemned the incident as 'another example of atrocities and insult' on PDA, alleging the BJP's complicity in it. Jaunpur (UP), Jun 10 (PTI) A party worker reportedly slapped Mahendra Rajbhar, national president of the Suheldev Swabhiman Party (SSP), repeatedly soon after garlanding the latter on stage during a public gathering in Uttar Pradesh's Jaunpur district. The incident took place at Ashapur village under the Jalalpur police station limits during a function held on the occasion of Maharaja Suheldev's victory day. The event was organised to perform 'bhoomi pujan' for installing a statue of the revered Rajbhar icon in the Rajbhar-dominated Zafarabad Assembly constituency. Mahendra Rajbhar, a native of Mau district, was the chief guest at the event. To the audience's shock, Brijesh Rajbhar, a party worker, first garlanded Mahendra Rajbhar and then slapped him multiple times in full public view, causing chaos at the event. Following the assault, Mahendra Rajbhar accused Uttar Pradesh Cabinet minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president Om Prakash Rajbhar of orchestrating the attack. However, no statement has yet been issued by Om Prakash Rajbhar or the SBSP in response to the acquisition. After the incident, Mahendra Rajbhar left the venue and filed a complaint at the Jalalpur police station, naming Brijesh Rajbhar. Speaking to reporters, he claimed that Brijesh Rajbhar met Om Prakash Rajbhar four to five days before the event and that the attack was planned under the latter's direction. 'Brijesh was once a worker in my party, but he currently holds no official position. I don't know how or why he came to the event or who invited him. There is no internal dispute in the party or any financial disagreement,' Mahendra Rajbhar said, adding that though many people were present at the event, Brijesh Rajbhar was the one who attacked him. Confirming that Mahendra Rajbhar has lodged a complaint, Jalalpur SHO Triveni Singh said the viral video of the incident was under review as part of the investigation. Reacting to the incident, Akhilesh Yadav alleged BJP's complicity in the attack, which he termed another example of growing atrocities on PDA. 'The violent attack on senior leader Mahendra Rajbhar is yet another condemnable example of the growing insults and atrocities faced by the PDA society under BJP rule,' Yadav posted in Hindi on X. 'If the BJP thinks it can sustain its divisive politics by breaking communities from within, it is gravely mistaken. If the BJP is not complicit in this attack, the assailant must be immediately arrested and punished for his actions,' Yadav said. 'Violence is a manifestation of desperation. The BJP should remember that such acts will not demoralise the PDA but strengthen its resolve further. Long live the Constitution, long live the PDA,' he added. Mahendra Rajbhar was previously associated with the SBSP and served as its national vice-president before parting ways ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections to form his own party. He had accused Om Prakash Rajbhar of deviating from the party's mission and prioritising personal financial gains. In the current Uttar Pradesh Assembly, SBSP's Jagdish Narayan Rai represents Zafarabad. He won the 2022 election as part of an alliance with the Samajwadi Party. PTI COR AR KIS ARI This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
New Indian Express
05-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Rajbhar adamant to field candidate on Mau Sadar
With disqualification of MLA Abbas Ansari from UP assembly following his conviction in a hate speech case leading to two-year jail term, his vacated Mau Sadar seat could be a potential bone of contention between the ruling BJP and ally OP Rajbhar's Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP). Rajbhar is insisting to field his candidate from the seat. In fact, the seat rightfully belongs to SBSP as Ansari, though a sympathiser of SP, had contested on the symbol of SBSP which was in alliance with SP in 2022 Assembly elections. Post polls, Rajbhar parted ways from Akhilesh and joined NDA, becoming a minister in Yogi cabinet. Pitched battle between revenue officers Six days after allegedly assaulting a junior officer inside income tax office in Lucknow, Joint Commissioner of Income Tax Yogendra Kumar Mishra was suspended on Wednesday. The order said a criminal case is under investigation against Mishra, a 2014-batch IRS officer, currently posted in Kashipur, Uttarakhand. Pending inquiry, his headquarters has been shifted to Kolkata. Mishra has been directed not to leave headquarters without prior permission. The move comes in the wake of allegations levelled against him by Gaurav Garg, a 2016-batch IRS officer posted in Lucknow. Garg had filed an FIR accusing Mishra of launching a violent, premeditated attack on him. District judge issues memo over 'stale' snack Apparently, a trivial request of tea and biscuits by an Additional District Judge in an eastern UP district court drove her to issue a written memo to the attendant. The memo, needless to say, went viral. The ADJ was hosting a colleague in her chamber during lunch break and requested two cups of tea and biscuits. The attendant returned with two steaming cups, but no biscuits. The judge once asked again for the biscuits. The attendant nodded and disappeared, only to return with a small plate of 'dalmoth' (a snack). But there was a problem: the dalmoth was stale. As per the memo issued to the attendant, it was old, stale, and carried a foul smell. Namita Bajpai Our correspondent in Uttar Pradesh
