Om Prakash Rajbhar has made his political stance on the Mau Sadar seat clear. Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief and Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar has firmly stated that regardless of whether the NDA grants the seat or not, SBSP will contest the election from Mau Sadar.
UP: On Tuesday, Om Prakash Rajbhar was in Mau. In a public gathering, he reiterated his claim on the Mau Sadar seat, which became vacant after the disqualification of Abbas Ansari's membership in the Assembly. He referred to the 2017 election, stating that his party lost on this seat by a mere six thousand votes. In 2022, Abbas Ansari won from this seat on an SBSP ticket. Rajbhar said that if a by-election is held, SBSP will bly contest from the Mau seat.
Will contest the election even if the NDA ignores them
Om Prakash Rajbhar has clarified that even if the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) does not give them this seat, they will field a candidate. However, he also expressed confidence that the seat will ultimately go to SBSP.
Will Brijesh Singh be the NDA candidate?
There is talk of mafia-turned-politician Brijesh Singh being the NDA's candidate for the Mau Sadar seat. Brijesh Singh is a well-known figure in Purvanchal politics. There is also speculation that Brijesh Singh might get a ticket from SBSP. Rajbhar did not give a clear answer on this, but the local activism of Brijesh Singh's supporters is fueling this speculation.
Rajbhar and Brijesh's behind-the-scenes understanding
It is believed that Brijesh Singh might be fielded on an SBSP ticket. This equation is also significant because the Ansari family has dominated Mau's politics for years. Now, if the bman Brijesh Singh contests from here, the contest could become very interesting.
Two alliances, one seat, SBSP's claim remains
In both the 2017 and 2022 elections, SBSP claimed the Mau Sadar seat. In 2017, this seat went to SBSP in the BJP-SBSP alliance, and Mahendra Rajbhar contested against Mukhtar Ansari. However, Mukhtar won by about 8700 votes. In 2022, SBSP contested the election in alliance with the SP. The seat again went to SBSP, but the candidate was Abbas Ansari, Mukhtar Ansari's son, from the SP. He defeated BJP's Ashok Singh by over 38,000 votes.
Abbas Ansari's membership revoked
Abbas Ansari was convicted and sentenced to two years in prison in a hate speech case. Following this, his Assembly membership was revoked. This is why the Mau Sadar seat is now heading towards a by-election. In such a situation, SBSP is ready to enter the fray, claiming this seat as its own.
Political history of the Mau seat
Muslim candidates have dominated the Mau Sadar Assembly seat since 1980. Independent Khairul Bashar won in 1980. In 1985, CPI's Iqbal Ahmad, in 1989, BSP's Mobin, and in 1991, CPI's Imtiaz Ahmad won. In both the 1991 and 1993 elections, the BJP fielded Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi but lost. In 1996, Mukhtar Ansari won for the first time on a BSP ticket, and since then, this seat has been under the influence of the Ansari family. The BJP has not been able to win the Mau seat till date.
Why is the Mau seat important?
The Mau Sadar Assembly seat is not only one of the major seats in Purvanchal but is also known for its social equations and the influence of leaders with criminal backgrounds. Due to names like Ansari and Brijesh Singh, this seat remains in constant political discussion. Now that the by-election is approaching, Rajbhar's claim and Brijesh Singh's possible candidacy are making this election very interesting.
