Three seats in two Congress-ruled states and one in Uttar Pradesh are in for a tricky battle throughout Tuesday’s Rajya Sabha polls. Sources have indicated that cross-voting by Opposition MLAs are very probably, for which the Congress and the Samajwadi Occasion are holding strict watch.
In Karnataka, the ruling Congress has shipped off its MLAs to a “secure home” to stop undue influences — a continuously occurring state of affairs within the chequered politics of the state.
For Himachal Pradesh, the measures weren’t so drastic. The ruling Congress there has issued a whip to its MLAs for election on its sole Rajya Sabha seat — a transfer that has drawn sneers from the BJP.
The Samajwadi Occasion — the principle Opposition in Uttar Pradesh — in the meantime says all is nicely, though sources say no less than 10 of the occasion’s MLAs are able to cross-vote.
The ruling BJP and the SP have the numbers to ship seven and three members unopposed to the Rajya Sabha. However the BJP upped stakes by fielding Sanjay Seth — a former SP member and industrialist — as its eighth candidate.
To get elected, a candidate from the state wants practically 37 first choice votes. Leaders of the BJP have claimed that no less than 10 MLAs of the SP are in contact with them.
The SP has fielded actor-MP Jaya Bachchan, retired IAS officer Alok Ranjan and Dalit chief Ramji Lal Suman. The choice has apparently alienated its ally Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) chief Pallavi Patel, who earlier stated she wouldn’t vote as she didn’t agree with the choice to subject Ms Bachchan and Mr Ranjan.
Whereas numbers had ensured easy crusing for the Congress in 4 of Karnataka’s three seats, the BJP-Janata Dal Secular alliance queered the pitch by fielding a second candidate. In case there have been 4 candidates, every wanted 45 votes to win, however in case of extra candidates, choice votes kick in.
The Congress has 134 MLAs, the BJP has 66 and the JD(S) 19, whereas others account for 4. Of the 4, the Congress claims the help of two Independents and Darshan Puttanaiah from Sarvodaya Karnataka Paksha, and is assured of profitable three seats.
On Monday, the Congress shifted all its MLAs to a resort, marking the start of the state’s trademark resort politics. All events have issued whips to their MLAs forward of at present’s election.
In Himachal, the candidate for whom the Congress can be battling is the occasion’s senior chief Abhishek Manu Singhvi, in opposition to whom the BJP has fielded its core committee member Harsh Mahajan. Whereas the Congress has a transparent majority with 40 MLAs, the BJP has 25 members. Three MLAs are Independents of whom two are BJP rebels. The BJP, sources stated, is now eyeing dissatisfied Congress MLAs to win over.
The election is anticipated to be status battle for Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who took over the reins of the state after final yr’s meeting polls.
56 Rajya Sabha seats throughout 15 states had been to get new members, 41 of whom have already been elected unopposed. The voting for the remainder will likely be held at present from 9 am to 4 pm. Counting will start at 5 pm and the outcomes are anticipated late within the night.
The ruling BJP holds 28 of the 56 seats –including the one left vacant by occasion lawmaker Kirodi Lal Meena, who has develop into a minister in Rajasthan. After elections, it is going to have no less than 29 seats. In Uttar Pradesh, INDIA bloc will achieve two seats because the SP is anticipated to enhance its tally from one to a few seats.
