By Faisal Fareed, Twocircles.net
The relationship between political leaders and prisons in India is complicated, to say the least; but not in UP. With elections in full flow, the role of prisons has once again come into limelight. In UP, leaders do not hesitate before going to jail during public agitation, and in fact, time spent in prison is both acknowledged and respected. The UP government even offers pension to political prisoners who were sent to jail during the emergency. In fact, Ravidas Mehrotra, SP candidate from Lucknow Central has the distinction of being jailed more than 100 times in public agitation.
On the other hand, there is a set of prisoners who are in jail but do not hesitate to contest polls. Many of them have even won the polls and became ‘Manniya Sadasya’ of the assembly. And it is no different this time, several leaders are contesting the polls via jail.
The first name is Mukhtar Ansari who is contesting from Mau seat. He is presently behind bars but has won all his election from inside the prison. His main form of campaigning is through letters and appeals sent to voters. The campaigning is handled by his son Abbas Ansari and brothers Afzal Ansari and Sibghatullah Ansari.
Another name is Aman Mani Tripathi of Maharajganj. His parents Amar Mani and Madhumani too are in jail in the infamous Madhumita Shukla murder case. Amanmani was earlier given ticket by SP but it was later canceled. He has been himself arrested for the alleged charges of murder of his wife Sara. Presently he is contesting from Nautanwa and his sister Tanushri is campaigning for him in the constituency.
Asaram Bapu and his son Narayan Sai are in jail, but this has not deterred Narayan Sai from floating Ojaswi Party and contesting from Shivpur seat in Varanasi.
Syedraja seat in Chandauli has the distinction where two candidates of major political parties are in jail. BJP candidate Sushil Singh, the nephew of MLC Brijesh Singh is lodged in Varanasi Jail while BSP candidate Shyam Narain Singh alias Vineet Singh was lodged in Ranchi jail.
Others who are behind bars but are in the fray include Amit Garg presently lodged in Agra jail but is contesting from Ferozabad, Manish Singh in Lucknow jail and is a candidate from Harchandpur in Raebareily. Besides this, there is a long list of jailed politicians who have fielded their kin in the elections. Prominent among them is mafioso Munna Bajrangi whose wife is contesting as Apna Dal (S) candidate from Mariyahun in Jaunpur.
Their fate will be decided on March 11 but still, these people are concerned about their elections while their supporters are busy in the constituencies.