Barely 24 hours after joining the NDA alliance, Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) President Om Prakash Rajbhar has virtually disowned his own MLA , Abbas Ansari, who is the son of jailed gangster Mukhtar Ansari.

Abbas Ansari is lodged in Kasganj district jail in a money-laundering case.

The SBSP had contested the 2022 Assembly election in alliance with the Samajwadi Party. The SBSP had fielded 19 candidates and six of them, including Abbas Ansari, won.

He defeated BJP candidate Ashok Kumar Singh by over 38,000 votes.

Rajbhar, when asked about the BJP’s stand on Abbas Ansari — since his family has been on the hit list of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath — said,, “Ansari is a Samajwadi member and Akhilesh had asked to field Abbas on SBSP ticket.”

BJP state spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi also said SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar has made it clear though Abbas Ansari contested the Assembly election on the SBSP ticket, he is a member of the Samajwadi Party (SP).

The BJP has made it clear that Mukhtar Ansari, his kin and Atiq Ahmed’s family members will not be welcomed in the NDA fold. The BJP is following a zero tolerance policy toward crime and has launched a drive against criminals, he said.

SBSP general secretary and spokesperson Arun Rajbhar, on the other hand said, “Abbas Ansari contested the Assembly election on the SBSP ticket. He is an SBSP MLA though incarcerated. Abbas continues to be in our party. We are not aware of his criminal records. There was no discussion with BJP leaders on Abbas during the alliance talks. If the issue comes up, we will discuss with the alliance partner.”

(The story has been published via a syndicated feed.)