As the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections move towards the Purvanchal region, many prominent faces, including some former MPs, former ministers and Bahubalis, will be trying their luck.
There are many assembly seats where these strongmen are contesting this time. One of them is Harishankar Tiwari, among the most influential figures in Purvanchal since the 1980s. Tiwari has been an MLA for 22 years, along with being a minister multiple times.
However, now his son, Vinay Shankar Tiwari, has taken over the reins and is the MLA from Chillupar assembly seat. Vinay had won from Chillupar seat on a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ticket in 2017, however, this time, he has switched over to the Samajwadi Party (SP).
The Chillupar seat has been a Brahmin-dominated seat for the past 37 years. Apart from Brahmins, Dalits and Nishads also play a crucial role here. This time, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Rajesh Tripathi, while the BSP has given the ticket to Rajendra Singh.
Another such seat is Mau, which has been in possession of jailed mafia don Mukhtar Ansari since 1996. However, this time, his son, Abbas Ansari, is contesting on a Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) ticket. SBSP is an ally of the SP. The unique combination of Muslim and SC voters has been sending Ansari to the UP assembly. The BSP has fielded their state chief Bhim Rajbhar, while the BJP has fielded Ashok Kumar Singh. Also, Abbas’s cousin Mannu Ansari is contesting from nearby Mohammadabad assembly seat on an SP ticket.
In the temple town of Ayodhya, the Gosaiganj assembly seat is witnessing a direct contest between two strongmen. The SP has given the ticket to Abhay Singh, while the BJP has fielded the wife of Indra Pratap Tiwari aka Khabbu Tiwari, who is in jail in a fake marksheet case. Recently, firing was reported between the supporters of both the candidates, after which SP candidate Abhay Singh was sent to jail. He was released on bail.
The Gyanpur assembly seat in Bhadohi is also witnessing an interesting electoral battle as strongman Vijay Mishra was denied ticket by BJP ally Nishad party this time. Vijay Mishra is in jail and is contesting on a ticket from Pragatisheel Manav Samaj Party. The Nishad party, on the other hand, has given the ticket to Vipul Dubey, while the SP has given the ticket to Ramkishor Bind, and the BSP has fielded Upendra Kumar Singh.
Another talked about name is Dhananjay Singh, who is contesting from Malhani assembly seat in Jaunpur on a Janta Dal United ticket. The former MLA and MP Dhananjay Singh had contested on the seat in 2017, but was defeated by SP candidate Paras Nath Yadav. In 2020, during the bypolls after the death of Paras Nath Yadav, Dhananjay was once again defeated by SP candidate and son of Paras Nath Yadav, Lucky Yadav. This time, the SP has once again given the ticket to Lucky Yadav, the BJP has fielded former MP KP Singh, while the BSP has fielded Shailendra Yadav.
A former minister in the SP government and MLA from Kunda assembly seat of Pratapgarh, Raghuraj Pratap Singh aka Raja Bhaiyya, is once again contesting from this seat on a ticket from his own newly formed political outfit Jansatta Dal Loktantrik. Raja Bhaiyya has been winning from this seat since 1993, but as an independent candidate. To corner Raja Bhaiyya in his bastion, the SP has fielded Gulshan Yadav, his former aide. The BJP has given the ticket to Sindhuja Mishra, while the BSP has fielded Mohd Faheem from Kunda assembly seat of Pratapgarh.
The Maharajganj assembly seat will also be in focus as the BSP has fielded Aman Mani Tripathi, who is accused of killing his wife Sara. Tripathi is the son of Amar Mani Tripathi, who went to jail in the murder of poetess Madhumita Shukla. The SP has fielded Kunwar Kauishal Singh, while the Nishad Party has given the ticket to Rishi.
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