Abbas Ansari’s Assembly Membership Restored in UP: No By-Election Needed in Mau
In a major relief for Samajwadi Party leader Abbas Ansari, the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly has restored his membership as an MLA from Mau Sadar. This comes right after the Allahabad High Court stayed his jail sentence in a hate speech case. The decision means no by-election will happen in the Mau Assembly seat, keeping things stable for now.
The Uttar Pradesh Assembly Secretariat acted quickly on Monday, following the High Court’s orders. Principal Secretary Pradeep Kumar Dubey issued the restoration order, making Abbas Ansari’s membership effective immediately. This reverses the earlier cancellation of his seat due to a conviction.
Let’s rewind a bit. Back in May 2023, a local MP-MLA court in Mau sentenced Abbas Ansari, the elder son of late gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, to two years in prison. The case stemmed from alleged hate speech during the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Abbas had reportedly made provocative statements at a public meeting, warning government officials of "settling scores" once the Samajwadi Party takes power. He even mentioned telling party chief Akhilesh Yadav that there would be no transfers or postings for six months after the government forms—first, it would be time for "Hisab-Kitab" (accounts and justice).
These remarks went viral on social media and sparked outrage. The Election Commission banned him from campaigning at the time, and police registered a case at Kotwali Nagar station in 2022. During the trial, six witnesses testified against him, leading to the conviction and the loss of his MLA status.
But the Allahabad High Court stepped in and stayed the conviction, ruling in Abbas Ansari’s favor. This quick judicial intervention has now brought his political career back on track. For the Ansari family, who have a strong hold on the Mau Sadar seat, this is huge. Mukhtar Ansari dominated the area for years, and Abbas won the seat himself in the 2022 elections.
Abbas Ansari’s restoration as MLA avoids any disruption in Mau, a key constituency in Uttar Pradesh politics. Supporters see this as a win against what they call unfair targeting, while it keeps the spotlight on ongoing legal battles involving the Ansari family. Stay tuned for more updates on Uttar Pradesh Assembly news and Samajwadi Party developments.
