It is a piquant situation in this family — one that few would wish in politics. The father is contesting as an Independent and his main rival is from the Bahujan Samaj Party.
The elder son is a BSP MP while the younger one is contesting another seat as a BSP candidate. The sons, therefore, cannot help the father and are forced to throw in their lot with his rival.
Erstwhile mafia don-turned-politician Hari Shankar Tiwari is ploughing a lonely burrow in Chillupar Assembly seat — a seat that he had been winning six times in a row since 1985.
His elder son Bhim Shankar Tiwari is BSP MP from Khalilabad while younger son Vinay Tiwari is the BSP contestant from Bansi in Basti district. His nephew Ganesh Pandey is the chairman of the Vidhan Parishad and also a BSP MLC.
Hari Shankar Tiwari lost his first election in 2007 when he was defeated by a novice Rajesh Tripathi who was a BSP nominee. Though Rajesh Tripathi was the first minister to be shown the door in the Mayawati government after being indicted by the Lokayukta in 2010, he has been given a ticket by the BSP again.
“Hari Shankar Tiwari is now into his seventies and cannot take the physical exertion involved in campaigning. It is unfortunate that since his entire family is in the BSP, they cannot campaign for him when he needs their help the most.
Panditji, as he is popularly known, needs no introduction in the constituency but campaigning must be done. He is contesting the elections because he wants to win back the seat,” says a supporter.
The BSP, meanwhile, is keeping a hawk’s eye on the constituency and directives have been issued to the party workers to work for Rajesh Tripathi who is contesting against the veteran mafia don-turned-politician.
“We are constantly in touch with Rajesh Tripathi and as soon as we get any report of internal sabotage (read Tiwari’s sons), we will communicate the same to the party leadership,” said a Bahujan Samaj Party functionary in Lucknow.