Contesting polls from jails is a tradition in this part of UP. Even the voters do not mind electing leaders incarcerated for criminal charges like murder. These leaders carry a Robinhood-like image and being in jail is like a badge - which they do not mind wearing on their sleeves.
Drive down to Nautanwa – one of the remotest constituencies of eastern Uttar Pradesh in Maharajganj district bordering Nepal where tainted Amanmani Tripathi is contesting election as an Independent candidate after being denied ticket by Samajwadi Party. Amanmani is in jail for the alleged murder of his wife Sara Singh.
Another 150 km south–east, in Mau, ganglord-cum-lawmaker Mokhtar Ansari is contesting elections on a BSP ticket from Mau. He has been doing time for the last three years for the alleged killing of BJP leader Krishnand Rai. Supporters of Mokhtar are vocal in saying that Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has ‘victimized’ him.
Professor Harsh Kumar of Gorakhpur University, opined: “lack of development and prevalent poverty in eastern UP has been a fertile ground for such political clout. When the system does not work, these leaders emerge as a parallel system and slowly acquire Robinhood image.”
These two leaders are cooling their heels in jails - far from the maddening election hustle and bustle in their constituencies which go to polls on March 4. In their absence, their family members have held the fort. For Amanmani, his two sisters - Tanumani and Alankrita – are leading and managing his poll campaign.
“It is the first time we are actively taking part in election campaign as we have no one in family who can lead the campaign. All the family members are behind bars,” Tanu, who has done Masters in International Studies and flew down from london to be a part of this campaign, said.
Tanu’s father Amarmani and mother Madhumani are in jail for the murder of poetess Madhumita Shukla. Amarmani has won election from Nautanwa five times but after his conviction he was barred from contesting. He passed on the baton to his son Amanmani in 2012 – who lost the election by a whisker.
“Bhai (Amanmani) has been framed in a false case. We are contesting it legally in court but here in people’s court we are getting tremendous response. People treat us as their sisters and are sympathetic towards our family,” Alankrita, who is textile designer by profession, said.
Amanmani was arrested by CBI for alleged murder of his wife Sara Singh, who mysteriously died in a car accident. Sara’s mother Seema Singh had released a video few days back asking voters not to elect her daughter’s murderer. The passionate appeal, that got over a lakh likes in You Tube has made both sisters nervous.
“The lady is full of drama. We have released a video of her `dabangayee’ on how she and her cohorts beat up an innocent person,” Tanu said. “We are fighting for justice of our family. My brother is innocent and will come out unscathed,” she hoped.
Her words are making impact among people because this constituency has a history of leaders contesting elections from jail. Amarmani did it and before that Virendra Shahi too had won poll from here while in jail, not once but twice.
“log yahan jehadi hai (People here have a revolutionary zeal). We stand for the victim. In our eyes, Amanmani is a victim. He has been framned,” said Jheena Pradhan. “Contesting election from jail is no shame here, it is a badge of honour,” he said.
If it is Amanmani in Nautanva, the story repeats in Mau where Mokhtar Ansari is contesting his second election from behind the bars. Mokhtar’s cousin and poll manager, Salim said: “You enquire from people whether Mokhtar Bhai has helped them or not. There are hundreds of them who will tell you that they met Mokhtar in jail and later their work was done.”
“He is a political victim. Over a dozen criminal cases were slapped over him but he has been exonerated in all barring in the Krishnanand Rai case. He will come out clean,” he said.
People around Salim Bhai nod their heads in approval. “last time too, Mokhtar Bhai contested from jail and won. This time too, he will win this election. There is no stopping him,” a person in the crowd said.