Last-day entries tighten RS poll race in 3 states
HT Correspondent
NEW DELHI: Media baron Subhash Chandra and businessman Kartikeya Sharma filed their nominations as Bharatiya Janata Partybacked Independent candidates from Rajasthan and Haryana respectively, along with Janata Dal (Secular) leader Kupendra Reddy in Karnataka on Tuesday, the last day filing nominations for June 10 Rajya Sabha polls.
The nominations of Reddy, Chandra and Sharma could result in a keenly watched contest between them and the Congress candidates in the three states, provided none of the candidates in the fray withdraw their nominations by June 3, the last day for doing so. If none of the candidates withdraw, there will be elections in Maharashtra as well.
In all, the election commission announced a poll schedule for 57 Rajya Sabha seats in 15 states. There will be no contest in 11 states as candidates in the fray are equal to the number of vacant RS seats.
Some of the important candidates in fray are Union commerce minister Piyush Goyal (BJP) from Maharashtra, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman (BJP) and former environment minister Jairam Ramesh (Congress) from Karnataka, Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena) and Praful Patel (NCP) from Maharashtra. All of them are likely to win on basis of strength of their parties in state assemblies.
In Rajasthan, the contest will be between the third Congress candidate Pramod Tiwari and Chandra. The other two Congress candidates are Mukul Wasnik and Randeep Singh Surjewala. A candidate needs 41 votes to win in Rajasthan. The Congress, with 108 MLAS, can win two seats and the BJP, with 71, is assured victory on one. The BJP needs 11 excess votes for Chandra to win. A total of 21 Independents and MLAS of smaller parties will decide the fourth winner.
In Haryana, Congress candidate Ajay Maken has just the needed numbers (31 votes are needed to win) and any defections or rejections of votes could mean a victory for Sharma, son of former Congress leader Venod Sharma.
The BJP, with 41 MLAS in the assembly, also has the support of
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its coalition partner, the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) which has 10 MLAS. Also, there are seven Independents expected to vote the way BJP wants. Lone INLD MLA Abhay Chautala, and HLP MLA Gopal Kanda, are also expected to support Sharma’s candidature.
In Karnataka, the election took an interesting turn with the Janata Dal (Secular) entering the fray on
Tuesday with the nomination of Kupendra Reddy. The BJP can win two seats and the Congress can clinch one. So, there is contest for the fourth seat between Congress candidate Mansoor Ali Khan, BJP’S Lahar Singh and Reddy. Party leaders said JD (S), which has 30 MLAS, need 15 more votes.
The Congress has 20 excess votes and BJP 31. With the BJP fielding a third candidate in Maharashtra, the elections to six Rajya Sabha seats could see a bitter tussle. Since neither the ruling Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi, nor the opposition BJP has the required numbers to elect the sixth candidate on their own, the 29 MLAS, who are either Independents or from smaller parties, will decide the outcome, according to officials.