Akhilesh left red-faced as SP fields murder accused as candidate

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was on Monday embarrassed by his own party after the latter gave an Assembly ticket to a person, who is not only accused of killing his wife but against whom Akhilesh had recommended a CBI probe, barely a year back.

Samajwadi Party (SP) state unit president Shivpal Singh Yadav on Monday released a list of seven candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls in the state, which is due early next year. The list includes the name of Amanmani Tripathi, who is facing a CBI probe for killing his wife Sara Singh.

Amanmani’s father, Amarmani Tripathi, a former UP minister, is currently lodged in jail after being convicted in the killing of poetess Madhumita Shukla. Sara Singh was killed when the car, which she was travelling in, had overturned near Ferozabad last year.

Sara’s mother, Seema Singh, had claimed that her daughter had been killed by Amanmani, who was driving the car. On her demand, Akhilesh had recommended a CBI probe into the matter.