Yogi's 'bulldozer' could not dislodge these 'Robinhoods'

Lucknow, March 11: The BJP attributes its stupendous win in Uttar Pradesh to the law-and-order factor but five out of eight mafias in the fray have managed to win elections. It is their 'Robinhood' image that has helped them win their seat. The most prominent of them is Raghuraj Pratap Singh a.k.a. 'Raja Bhaiyya', who has won the Kunda seat for the seventh consecutive time.

He contested from Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik), a party he floated in 2018 and faced a bitter battle from his rival, Gulshan Yadav of Samajwadi Party, during the campaign. Though Raja Bhaiyya lost his margin, he won his seat. Another mafia candidate, who won his Saiyadraja seat in Chandauli, is Sushil Singh of the BJP.

Sushil is the nephew of don-turned-politician Brijesh Singh. Samajwadi Party's Abhay Singh won from the Gosainganj seat in Ayodhya, defeating Arti Tiwari, wife of jailed don Khabbu Tiwari. Samajwadi Party candidate Prabhu Narain Singh Yadav, also considered a muscleman, managed to win from Sakaldiha seat in Chandauli.

In Azamgarh's Phoolpur Pawai seat, former MP and don Ramakant Yadav also won. Jailed don Mukhtar Ansari did not contest the polls but his son Abbas Ansari won from Mau and nephew Mannu Ansari won from Mohammadabad in Ghazipur. Among the losers are Vijay Mishra who contested from jail and lost his Gyanpur seat in Bhadohi.

Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) candidate Madan Bhaiyya lost from Loni seat of Ghaziabad. Monu Singh lost from Sultanpur. Another prominent muscleman who lost from Malhani seat in Jaunpur is Dhananjay Singh who contested a fiercely fought battle.