NEW DELHI: Jailed mafia gangster Mukhtar Ansari passed away after suffering a cardiac attack on Thursday.
Who was Mukhtar Ansari?
Mukhtar Ansari, born on June 30, 1963, and deceased on March 28, 2024, was a notable figure in Indian politics and organized crime, hailing from Uttar Pradesh. Throughout his life, he navigated the complex worlds of crime and politics, leaving a controversial legacy marked by his electoral success and criminal convictions.
Mukhtar Ansari was a convicted Indian gangster and politician from Uttar Pradesh, elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Mau constituency five times, including twice as a Bahujan Samaj Party candidate.
He belonged to a prominent family, with his paternal grandfather being Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari, an early president of the Indian National Congress, and his maternal grandfather, Mohammad Usman, a Brigadier in the Indian Army.
Ansari’s criminal activities began to surface in the early 1990s, particularly in the districts of Mau, Ghazipur, Varanasi, and Jaunpur. His entry into politics occurred around 1995 through the student union at Banaras Hindu University.
By the late 1990s, Ansari emerged as a significant figure in the organized crime scene in Poorvanchal, engaging in violent conflicts with rival gangs over control of lucrative contract businesses.
His political career saw a rise when he became the undisputed gang leader in Poorvanchal following a shootout that allegedly involved his rival Brijesh Singh.
Ansari and his brother Afzal joined the Bahujan Samaj Party in 2007, where Ansari was portrayed as a “messiah of the poor” by BSP chief Mayawati.
He contested the 2009 Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi on a BSP ticket while incarcerated, ultimately losing to BJP’s Murli Manohar Joshi.
Ansari faced multiple legal challenges, including charges for the murder of Kapil Dev Singh in April 2009 and the murder of contractor Ajay Prakash Singh in August 2009.
In 2010, both Ansari brothers were expelled from BSP due to their ongoing involvement in criminal activities. A subsequent jail raid revealed Mukhtar Ansari living a luxurious life behind bars.
After being expelled from BSP, the Ansari brothers formed their own political party, the Quami Ekta Dal, in 2010.
Mukhtar Ansari announced his intention to contest the 2014 Lok Sabha elections against Narendra Modi from Varanasi but withdrew to avoid splitting secular votes.
On January 26, 2016, Ansari rejoined BSP before the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Legislative elections and won the state elections as a BSP candidate from the Mau assembly seat.