Criminals or politicians?

Candidates with criminal background and scam-tainted record are so common in Uttar Pradesh that the electorate is left with little choice but to turn a blind eye to their colourful pasts. In Farrukhabad, for instance, while the sitting MLA is Uttar Pradesh Health Minister Anant Kumar Mishra alias Antu Mishra, who was sacked after he was named in the National Rural Health Mission scam, the other contestants in the fray are ‘bahubalis’ (strongmen) Vijay Singh, former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) member who is now fighting as an independent, and Anupam Dubey, another independent candidate. But the electorate, strangely, instead of being angered at the BSP for Mishra’s misdemeanors, is favouring BSP candidate Mohd Umar Farooq. According to the rationale of the locals, “Mishra bahar ka tha, bahar chala gaya (Mishra was from outside and he has been left outside now).” Mishra from Kanpur is Behenji’s confidante Satish Chandra Mishra’s relative.