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On Sunday (May 31), a picture went viral on social media, which caught the attention of people who like politics. This picture is of Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Ghazipur MP Afzal Ansari. Both the leaders are residents of Ghazipur district. If we talk about the distance between their houses, it is hardly 30-35 kilometers. But, the two leaders never appeared with each other in public. This one picture has not only created a stir in political circles, but people have also started discussing on social media.

Actually, both these leaders are considered staunch opponents of each other. One reason for this is that the ‘Ansari’ family from which Afzal comes has never had cordial relations with the BJP party. There has always been a figure of 36 in the Ansari family and BJP. In the viral picture, MP Afzal Ansari and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha are seen happy while honoring each other.

Manoj Sinha becomes the face of BJP in Purvanchal

With the rise of Modi-Shah at the Centre, BJP had made Manoj Sinha its main face in Purvanchal. Gradually both became poles in the politics of Ghazipur. Manoj Sinha has been BJP MP from Ghazipur three times. Sinha was BJP MP from Ghazipur in 1996 and 1999. After this, in 2014, after winning from Ghazipur, he remained the Union Minister for full five years. But, in 2019, Sinha lost to Afzal Ansari. After this defeat, the political conflict between the two camps intensified.

story of long struggle

Afzal once again won from here and reached Parliament in 2024. The political rivalry between Manoj Sinha and Afzal Ansari is counted among the most talked about rivalries in the politics of Purvanchal and Ghazipur. This is not just a fight between two leaders, but is seen as a long struggle between BJP and the political influence of the Ansari family.

The Ansari family has had strong political influence in Ghazipur and the surrounding area in the 1990s and 2000s. Although not the same as before, the influence of this family is still there. Afzal Ansari has been the MLA from here and MP thrice while his brother Mukhtar Ansari was also a big name in the politics of Purvanchal.

round of allegations and counter-allegations

Afzal Ansari has been alleging from public forums many times that Manoj Sinha’s influence is behind the action taken against him at the administrative and political level in Ghazipur and Purvanchal. In 2022, he even said that he was being punished for defeating Manoj Sinha by not being allowed to work. At the same time, BJP has alleged that the Ansari family pushed the politics of Ghazipur-Mau region towards caste and muscle power based politics for a long time. BJP has always made law and order and matters to Mukhtar Ansari a big issue in elections.

An attempt to reduce bitterness?

In such a situation, this meeting between Manoj Sinha and Afzal Ansari has become a topic of debate in the political scenario of Ghazipur district. This meeting between Manoj Sinha and Afzal Ansari gives rise to many questions. Is this an attempt to reduce the bitterness between the two leaders, or is it a political game?