Once upon a time, red flags ruled the roost as their bastion in Mau looked almost invincible but when local ‘Vikash Purush’ Kalpnath Rai shot into the prominence in dying days of 1980s, he not only succeeded in demolishing the ‘Red Fort’ ruled by leaders like Jai Bahadur and Jharkhande Rai but also strengthened his base.
After his death, Mau, a comparatively smaller district with four Assembly seats, saw the emergence of mafia don-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari and leadership among the most backward castes (MBCs) like Chauhans and Rajbhars and in that process, development issues have been overshadowed almost comparatively by social and communal factors.
Mukhtar, who is currently in jail, is working hard to get parole so that he can contact the voters but the court has rejected his plea and hopes so far. This election is a prestige issue for Mukhtar as he is not only seeking his sixth Assembly entry from Mau but also trying to make base for his son Abbas Ansari in adjoining Ghosi.
Though guns are often seen in hands of both father and son, their aims are different as father is accused of pulling the gun on people; son is a four-time national shooting champion who has also brought some international laurels and applauses to the nation.
Mokhtar’e relations with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) saw ups and downs. He began his political career riding on elephant in 1996 but then his relations turned sour and despite that he won next two polls as an Independent candidate showing his domination in Mau.
He rode the elephant
again in 2007 but in 2010 the then Chief Minister Mayawati had thrown him down on criminal grounds.
In last election in 2012, he won after making Quami
Ekta Dal (QED) along with his brothers — ex-MP from Ghazipur Afzal Ansari and
sitting MlA from Mohammedabad (in Ghazipur district) Sibgatullah Ansari.
As all three Ansari brothers are turning old, they are trying to make political base for their offspring in Mau and Ghazipur districts. After rejection of proposal of his uncle Shivpal Yadav to bring QED into SP folds by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, Mukhtar rode on elephant third time. However, this time despite all favourable strong grass-root base of BSP, the route to Vidhan Sabha is not appearing a cakewalk because after Modi wave during last lok Sabha, when both Mukhtar and his elder brother Afzal failed even to finish second, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has strategically strengthened its social base.
Veteran Fagu Chauhan who is seeking his sixth Assembly win from Ghosi, had won once on BSP’s ticket in 2007 while twice on BJP in 1996 and 2002. However, 2012 elections he lost to Samajvadi Party’s Sudhakar Singh and this time he is locked against sitting SP MlA and Mukhar’s son.
In Mau, Mukhtar is facing a changed track this time. Earlier, in its bid to defeat him, the BJP was largely depending on influence of its firebrand Gorakhpur’s MP Yogi Aditya Nath which could not work except posing some stiff fights but this time, Akhilesh not only rejected QED but also tried to make route for Mukhtar rocky fielding leader from weaving community Altaf Ansari while BJP has left seat for Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) which has fielded Rajkumar Rajbhar.
The BJP, hoping that the wave would be changed when Modi would visit adjoining areas, has strengthened its social base with the joining of ex-BSP MP Dara Singh Chauhan who is pitted against sitting BSP’s MlA Umesh Chandra Pandey and Congress candidate and ex-MlA Amresh Chand Pandey in Madhuvan while in Mohammedabad Gohana (SC) seat, sitting SP MlA Baijnath Paswan’s stake is at serious threat as both BSP’s Sriram Sonkar and BJP’s Rajendra Kumar are fighting well.