Akhilesh, Mayawati can't shield goons like Azam Khan once BJP comes to power: Keshav Prasad Maurya

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Jan. 27 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Keshav Prasad Maurya on Friday asserted that neither Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav nor Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati would be able to protect goons in the guise of politicians once his party comes to power in the state. Maurya said that the inclusion of gangster-turned politician Mukhtar Ansari in BSP proves that the promise made by the party's supremo Mayawati to take action against the criminals was just a lie. "BJP is going to win the upcoming assembly election in Uttar Pradesh, and after coming to power neither Akhilesh Yadav nor Mayawati would be able to save criminals like Atique Ahmed and Azam Khan," he told ANI. He further said neither Samajwadi Party nor BSP can fight against the goons, criminals and mafias and added that stringent action would be taken against the criminals once their party comes to power in Uttar Pradesh. Four-time MLA Ansari, who is currently lodged in Lucknow jail, will contest from the Mau assembly constituency on Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ticket in next month's polls. This was confirmed by Mayawati, who said that Mukhtar is being taken back in the party as the allegations against him have not been proved yet. The gangster-turned-politician's son Abbas and brother Sibgatulla have also joined the party and they will be contesting the elections from Ghosi and Mohammadabad assembly constituencies respectively. Mukhtar had earlier won a seat from Mau in 1996 on a BSP ticket. Quami Ekta Dal, formed by Ansari and his brothers in 2010, merged with the Samajwadi Party (SP) last year which was opposed by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. The merger was expected to be discontinued with Akhilesh becoming national president, which was confirmed once the party announced its party candidate from Mau seat. (ANI)