UP CM Yogi Adityanath who has vowed to eliminate criminals and improve law and order in the state was, on Saturday, seen sharing stage at an event in Gorakhpur with murder accused and newly inducted MLA Amanmani Tripathi.
The strongman was seen sitting a few seats away from Adityanath’s chair. He later got up and greeted Adityanath and also touched the CM’s feet.
Independent candidate Aman Mani Tripathi had won Nautanwa seat in Mahrajganj by defeating nearest rival SPs Kunwar Kaushal Kishore Singh alias Munna Singh by a margin of 32,478 votes in the recent state elections.
Amanmani is accused of murdering his wife Sara Singh. He was denied a Samajwadi Party ticket the state polls and fought the election from jail as an independent candidate. His electoral campaigning was managed by his sisters Tanushri and Alankrita.
Amanmani’s father, Amarmani Tripathi, a former minister, is serving life term along with wife Madhu Mani for murdering poetess Madhumita Shukla in the year 2003. AmarMani was a four-time MLA from Nautanwa.
After elections, Amanmani had gone to the Gorakhnath temple and sought blessings of head priest Yogi Adityanath. There are speculations that he might join the BJP.
Allahabad High court had granted bail to Amanmani in wife's murder case on March 9 this year.