Ahead of RS polls, UP parties cajole miffed allies, host lavish dinners
Ahead of the March 23 Rajya Sabha biennial elections, where 10 new members to the Upper House of Parliament will be elected, political parties in Uttar Pradesh are leaving nothing to chance, holding frenzied meetings to firm up strategies, cajoling allies and hosting lavish dinners to drum up support.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, based on its strength in the assembly, can easily get eight candidates elected unopposed but has plumped for an election by fielding a ninth nominee. It would have otherwise been smooth sailing for its eight – and one candidate each from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP).
What has, however, added to the drama is that the BJP, which till last week considered itself invincible in electoral battles direct or indirect, now has reasons to be worried after identifying “overconfidence and callousness” for its defeat in the Phulpur and Gorakhpur parliamentary by-polls. The seats had been held by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya.
Party sources told IANS that the Chief Minister himself was working the wires with allies and even with party’s 312 lawmakers, many of whom are apparently miffed at being overlooked by the leadership in the past one year’s rule.
Even the BJP’s central leadership has swung into action to deal with any problem. As Om Prakash Rajbhar, president of the Suhaildev Bahujan Samaj Party (SBSP) – an ally with four legislators – red-flagged the performance of the Adityanath government and threatened to remain neutral in the Rajya Sabha polls, BJP chief Amit
The BJP has 28 extra votes for its ninth candidate and needs nine more votes. For this, it is eyeing the independents and some disgruntled elements in the Samajwadi Party, the BSP and the Congress to switch loyalties and cross vote.
Shah immediately called him for a meeting in New Delhi.
The BJP has 28 extra votes for its ninth candidate and needs nine more votes. For this, it is eyeing the independents and some disgruntled elements in the Samajwadi Party, the BSP and the Congress to switch loyalties and cross vote.
The Congress, which has seven legislators, has announced its support for the candidature of BSP nominee Bhim Rao Ambedkar.
The SP has 47 legislators and is confident of getting its candidate Jaya Bachchan through for a fourth straight term. It has 10 extra votes which when added to the 19 of the BSP, seven of the Congress and one of Ajit Singh’s Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) will bring the BSP candidate close to victory.