Former Uttar Pradesh Minister Amarmani Tripathi, and his wife Madhumani were released from jail on Friday. After obtaining the approval of the Governor, the former minister and his wife were released after nearly 16 years. Under the Governor’s direction, the order for their release was issued under Article 161 of the Constitution.
Tripathi, who was serving a life sentence for the murder case, was released early due to good conduct. Upon his release, Amarmani’s son and former legislator Amanmani Tripathi thanked Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, whom he termed as his guardian and mentor. The release, along with Amanmani’s statement has various political implications and has piqued the interest of observers. Political pundits are analysing caste equations, and various political parties are strategising accordingly. After the demise of former minister Pandit Harishankar Tiwari—Tripathi’s mentor—there was a lack of Brahmin representation in the politics of Purvanchal. Tripathi’s release just ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections is being seen as a turning point in the region’s politics.
His return to politics holds significant importance, notably, his proximity to the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP). Also apparent are his son’s ties to the party. It is widely known that he wields influence in his home district of Maharajganj, but also in Siddharthnagar and Sant Kabir Nagar. This might provide Amarmani an opportunity to play a significant role in the political landscape. Tripathi served as a minister in the BJP government of the state in 2001 and in the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) government in 2002. He had also been associated with the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress, serving as legislator four times.
Amarmani entered politics during a time when different groups—particularly the Brahmins and Thakurs—were fighting for dominance in Purvanchal. The Brahmins were led by Harishankar Tiwari, while Thakurs were represented by Kshatriya Veerendra Pratap Shahi. In 2001, Amarmani contested against Veerendra Shahi from the Lakshmipur seat, even receiving support from the Communist Party. He, however, lost. In 1985, he contested again from the same seat but faced defeat once more. In 1996, Amar Mani contested on a Congress ticket for the first time from the Nautanwa seat. Brahmin votes played a significant role in his victory.
He was first removed from CM Rajnath Singh’s government in 2001 after he was named in connection with the kidnapping of a wealthy businessman’s young son. However, he continued to receive ministerial positions in different goverments. In 2002, he contested the Nautanwa seat on a BSP ticket, winning and remaining a minister in the Mayawati government.