Lucknow, Feb 8 The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has named Aman Mani Tripathi, an independent MLA from Nautanwa constituency in Maharajganj, as its candidate.
Tripathi, who is currently out on bail in connection with the murder of his wife, said that he "deeply admires" BSP chief Mayawati, her politics and policies.
"I could have still contested as an independent and also won but as a politician, I need to have a stand, an ideology. I should be a member of a party and be seen to be progressing in my politics. My father was also in BSP and I like the way the party functions and what it stands for. This is about my commitment to an ideology," he said.
Aman Mani was reportedly trying to get a ticket form the Nishad Party and is seen to be close to the BJP. He has often been seen touching the feet of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Tripathi said that his choice to join BSP stemmed from his sense of ethics.
"My grandfather was a communist and a seven-term MLA. My father has been a four-time MLA. It is necessary to have ethics and ideology and this is why I chose BSP," he added.
Before 2017, Tripathi was with the SP, but won the 2017 elections as an independent after he was denied a ticket by his party.
Meanwhile, the announcement of his candidature has stirred up a hornet's nest.
Nidhi Shukla, sister of slain poetess Madhumita Shukla - for whose murder Aman Mani's parents are serving life sentence - said, that by giving ticket to a man whose parents are convicted for murder and who is himself facing the charge of murdering his wife, the BSP has exposed itself.
"Mayawati keeps talking of the poor law and order in the SP government but what she has done now is beyond explanation. She is openly patronising a murder accused," she said.
Nidhi said that she would continue her campaign against the Tripathi family that has 'made murder a family habit'.
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