Samajwadi Party has the status of the main opposition party in the politics of Uttar Pradesh. There is a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state. Although the Bharatiya Janata Party has 253 MPs in the 403-member assembly and has an absolute majority government in the state on its own, the BJP is in a strong alliance with parties like Nishad Party, Apna Dal (S) and Suhaldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP).
The interesting thing in the politics of UP is that the ruling BJP and the main opposition party Samajwadi Party are not fighting the war with the same brutality as is being seen between Suhaldev Bharatiya Samaj Party and Samajwadi. Every morning, Suhaldev Bharatiya Samaj Party President Om Prakash Rajbhar wakes up, posts a long post on X and targets Akhilesh Yadav. In this war, an important political family of UP politics is getting crushed, that family is Ansari family.
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Abbas Ansari, MLA, Suhaldev Bharti Samaj Party:-
I will not comment on Akhilesh Yadav, my elder brother, Om Prakash Rajbhar, my uncle. I have very good family and personal relations with both of them. It is happening today, we will become one tomorrow. It has been happening in politics. Both are presidents of national parties. There are big people. These people will sort it out among themselves.
Mukhtar Ansari, the most famous face of the Ansari family, has died. He was counted among the most notorious gangsters of the state. During the lifetime of Mukhtar Ansari, who was mired in allegations of kidnapping, murder and extortion, his son Abbas Ansari had become an MLA. Suhaldev has been an MLA from Bharatiya Samaj Party during his lifetime in the year 2022. He has also been in Bahujan Samaj Party before 2022.
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Uncle MP, himself MLA, then why did he get involved?
Abbas Ansari's uncle Afzal Ansari is an MP from Samajwadi Party. Abbas Ansari Suhaldev is an MLA from Bharatiya Samaj Party. Both the parties once fought elections together, now they are spewing venom against each other. Ghazipur is considered the stronghold of the Ansari family. Akhilesh Yadav himself has said that Om Prakash Rajbhar has made so much rhetoric against Samajwadi Party that now he will not be able to put pressure on BJP for more seats, he is closing the doors for Samajwadi Party.
The tension is to such an extent that he calls PDA as 'Peet Dega Ahir'. Now, if this tension continues and there is no alliance between Suhaldev Bharatiya Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party, then a clash between uncle and nephew is certain. Om Prakash Rajbhar and Akhilesh Yadav were close friends in the 2022 elections, now they have new enemies before the elections so the matter seems to be stuck.
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What is Abbas Ansari's compulsion?
It is not yet decided with whom Abbas Ansari will go. If Om Prakash Rajbhar gives him the ticket then it will also be a moral dilemma for BJP. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the BJP leadership consider Mukhtar Ansari a mafia, if their son gets the ticket then it is certain that the BJP will give the ticket to its own candidate or the candidate of its ally. He has not yet formally taken membership of the Samajwadi Party.
Will Om Prakash Rajbhar field again?
The 2022 assembly elections were held under Om Prakash Rajbhar and Samajwadi alliance. When Om Prakash Rajbhar is asked questions related to the criminal history of Mukhtar Ansari and the politics of Abbas Ansari, he refuses. He says that he is an MLA of Samajwadi Party, but Suhaldev had won on Bharatiya Samaj Party ticket. Om Prakash Rajbhar has also said that there will be no loss or benefit to Suhaldev Bharatiya Samaj Party if Abbas Ansari stays or leaves the party.
Now what is the path ahead?
Akhilesh Yadav can field Abbas Ansari. When Mukhtar Ansari died on 28 March 2024 in Banda jail of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav had said that he should get the Supreme Court committee investigated whether he was poisoned.
Akhilesh Yadav had also reached his ancestral residence 'Fatak' in Mohammadabad, Ghazipur on 7 April 2024. Abbas Ansari calls Akhilesh Yadav his elder brother. His uncle is a Samajwadi Party MP. There is no discord in the family, this family is visible on every front. It is possible that citing old ties, the Samajwadi Party may again field him from Mau.
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What is the sister angle?
Mukhtar Ansari started his political innings in 1996 from Mau Sadar assembly seat. Then he fought on the ticket of Bahujan Samaj Party. He was expelled from the party in 2010. He formed Quami Ekta Dal and again joined BSP in 2017. He had won in 2017 also. Afzal Ansari had won the election on Bahujan Samaj Party ticket in the year 2019, he became a socialist in 2024. Mayawati did not give ticket to Mukhtar Ansari in the 2022 assembly elections. Bhim Rajbhar was fielded in his place. Since then the relations between Bahujan Samaj Party and Ansari family are not good. Mayawati is also avoiding giving shelter to the strongmen.