UP: Poet's ghost haunts a politician

Thou art mighty yet… thy spirit walks... the famous quote in Shakespeare's play Julius Ceaser showing Brutus bowing to Ceaser's ghost could come true in this non-descript assembly constituency in Maharajganj district where former minister Amar Mani Tripathi, main accused in poetess Madhumita Shukla murder case, is in fray.

The candidate of ruling Samajwadi Party appears to be fighting the poetess' ghost in the constituency going to polls in the final phase on May eight.   

Madhumita's younger sister Nidhi Shukla, accompanied by her mother and brother, has been campaigning here against the former minister.

Nidhi has embarked upon a door-to-door campaign in the constituency urging the electorate not to vote for the accused SP leader 'who has brought a bad name for the area.'

The slain poetess' sister carries with her banners and posters carrying Madhumita's picture.

"I do not have the necessary resources for holding public meetings. So, I have decided to launch mass contact programme," Nidhi told PTI.

The slain poetess' family was earlier denied permission by the district administration to hold programmes in the constituency apprehending breach of peace.

Later, however, the administration told Nidhi that she could hold her programmes by giving notices at least 48 hours before, official sources said.

Nidhi says she is requesting people not to elect Tripathi again as in the eventuality of his conviction in the case, which is pending in a Dehradun court, there will be a bypoll here.

"So, why waste your vote," she asks people of the area.

Nidhi has also been campaigning in neighbouring Pharenda assembly constituency from where Tripathi's uncle Shyam Narain Tewari is contesting on SP ticket.

For Tripathi, his election management is being supervised by his father Ajam Mani Tripathi and son Aman Mani Tripathi, who allege that their opponents had brought Nidhi here to campaign against the former minister.

Nidhi, however, rejected the charge.

"I am not going to share platform with any political outfit," she said, adding, "My endeavour is only to ensure that Tripathi and his uncle do not win from their constituencies and people with clean image emerge victorious."

With the former minister in jail and is unable to campaign and Nidhi going hammer and tongs in their home turf, it will be interesting to see whether the ghost of Madhumita does make the going tough for the uncle-nephew duo in the polls.