With major political parties showing some hesitation in welcoming hardcore “criminals” into their fold, it is the smaller parties that are emerging as favourites of these “criminals” for the coming elections.
Dreaded sharp shooter Munna Bajrangi, presently lodged in jail, has been declared the Apna Dal candidate from Mandiyahu in Jaunpur while another mafia don Ateeq Ahmad, also in jail, is the Apna Dal candidate from Allahabad South seat.
Munna Bajrangi alias Prem Prakash Singh was keen on a BJP ticket and Ateeq Ahmad was eager to return to the Samajwadi Party but when there was no positive response forthcoming from these parties, both finally opted for the Apna Dal.
Another jailed mafia don, Brijesh Singh, will be contesting the Syed Raza assembly seat on the Pragatisheel Manav Samaj Party banner and his supporters have already launched his campaign in a big way.
The Ansari brothers — Mukhtar and Afzal — have launched their own political outfit called Qaumi Ekta Dal and all the brothers including the third brother Sigbatullah Ansari, will be contesting on this banner.
Independent legislator Akhilesh Singh from Rae Bareli has merged his Akhil Bhartiya Congress Dal (ABCD) into the Peace party and will be contesting under its banner.
The Peace Party, incidentally, has become the first choice of criminals. Jitendra Singh Babloo is now the Peace Party candidate from Bikapur after being ousted from the BSP. Babloo was an accused in the torching of UPCC president’s house in 2009 and has over two dozen criminal cases against his name.
Another big criminal in a small party is Yash Bhadra Singh, alias Monu Singh, from Isauli in Sultanpur. An accused in the murder of a God man, Sant Gyaneshwar, in February 2006, Monu Singh is the Peace Party candidate from Isauli.
Another mafia don turned politician D.P. Yadav and his wife Urmilesh Yadav are expected to contest the elections under the banner of their own party, Rashtriya Parivartan Dal. The two had merged into the BSP in 2008 but have now been denied ticket by the BSP.