Mukhtar Ansari, born in 1963 in Ghazipur, was a controversial figure who mixed politics with crime. Coming from a respected family, he strayed into a life of gang wars and illegal deals in the 1980s, facing over 60 cases, including murder and extortion.
Despite this, he won the Mau Sadar MLA seat five times since 1996, first with the Bahujan Samaj Party, then as an independent and with his own Quami Ekta Dal.
Ansari’s influence was undeniable, with loyal supporters seeing him as a guardian of the poor, while critics labeled him a gangster. Jailed since 2005, he was convicted in 2023 for the 2005 murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai.
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On March 28, 2024, Ansari died of a heart attack in Banda at 63. His family alleged poisoning, but the government called it natural. The Supreme Court later ordered a probe.
His wife, Afsha, is a fugitive with a Rs 1 lakh bounty, and his son, Abbas, an MLA, faces legal troubles. Mukhtar Ansari’s life—part politician, part don—remains a divisive chapter in Uttar Pradesh’s history.