Owaisi was in Lucknow on Sunday, where Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) formally broke away from the opposition INDIA bloc and tied up with the AIMIM to launch a joint front ahead of Lok Sabha polls. The two parties floated the PDM Nyay Morcha, calling it a front to bring justice to Pichda (backwards), Dalits and Muslims.
Mukhtar Ansari was laid to rest in Ghazipur on Saturday amid a blanket of security as a large crowd took part in the funeral procession while a few people tried to forcibly enter the burial ground, giving tough time to police personnel trying to maintain order.
The five-time MLA from Mau Sadar had been behind bars in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab since 2005 and had over 60 criminal cases against him. The 63-year-old died on Thursday night at Rani Durgawati Medical College after being taken there from Banda jail when his health deteriorated.
A post-mortem confirmed that he died of cardiac arrest. However, a magisterial inquiry was ordered as opposition parties raised questions over Ansari's death, amid allegations by his family that he died due to "slow poisoning" in Banda jail.