Mukhtar Ansari is an Indian politician who has a stronghold in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, a region popularly called “Purvanchal,” where Ansari is considered one of the most influential mafia dons.He was born into an influential Sunni Muslim family of Ghazipur.He is the grandson of Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari (a former President of the Indian National Congress and Mulsim League). Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari was an Indian Freedom Fighter who later became one of the founders of the Jamia Millia Islamia University and served as its chancellor from 1928 to 1936. [11]The Week Dr Mulhtar Ahmad Ansari Postal Ticket.Being an accomplished surgeon his grandfather, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari, also led the Indian medical mission to treat Turkish soldiers injured during the Balkan war. [12]The Week Dr Mulhtar Ahmad Ansari (right) during the Indian medical mission to treat Turkish soldiers injured during the Balkan war.There is a ward named after his grandfather at Charing Cross Hospital in London where his grandfather studied. [13]The Week.Ansari’s elder brother, Sibakatullah Ansari was a Bahujan Samaj Party MLA from Mohammadabad constituency, and his other elder brother, Afzal Ansari is a Lok Sabha member from Ghazipur.Mukhtar Ansari started his political career by participating in student council elections at the Post Graduate Gazipur College Rambadh.After earning a BA degree in 1984, he became a member of the Makhanu Singh gang. Later, this gang clashed several times with another gang led by Sahib Singh over a plot of land.A member of the Sahib Singh’s gang, Brijesh Singh, later formed his own gang and became a staunch rival of Mukhtar Ansari.Gangs of Mukhtar Ansari and Brijesh Singh clashed many times over contracts such as Railways, Public Works, Coal Mining, and Liquor Business.