Mukhtar Ansari rules out merger with Samajwadi Party

Mafia don-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari on Tuesday ruled out all possibilities of his party Qaumi Ekta Dal’s (QED) merger into the Samajwadi Party.

Putting an end to the merger speculations, Mr Ansari said, “The chapter is closed. We will contest on our own.”

Mr Ansari, who is lodged in jail since 2005 on the charge of the murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai, was here to attend the Assembly session.

Earlier, senior SP minister Shivpal Singh Yadav announced the Qaumi Ekta Dal’s merger into the Samajwadi Party in the presence of QED president Afzal Ansari on June 21.

However, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav opposed the move and forced the SP parliamentary board to cancel the merger on June 25.

The cancellation led to differences between the CM and his uncle Shivpal, who saw this as a personal insult.