A keen electoral contest is on the cards in the Vidhan Parishad (State Legislative Council) elections in Uttar Pradesh after the deadline for withdrawal of candidates expired on Friday.
Thirteen candidates — eight from the Samajwadi Party, three from the Bahujan Samaj Party and two from the Bharatiya Janata Party — are in the fray for elections to 12 seats in the biennial polls. At the outset, a contest on the 12th seat seems inevitable.
The possibility of cross-voting has not been ruled out by political observers.
Principal Secretary of the Vidhan Sabha and Returning Officer Pradeep Dubey said the elections would be held on January 23. The support of 31 MLAs would be needed for winning a seat, Mr. Dubey said.
The SP, which has a strength of 230 MLAs in the Lower House of the State Legislature, has hedged its bets on eight candidates as it is assured of the support of the Congress, which has 28 MLAs, the Independents and other small parties. The Congress’s decision to opt out of the polls may have influenced the SP’s move to field eight nominees. The SP is certain to win seven seats on its own strength. It is hopeful of winning an eighth seat with the support of its 13 MLAs, who would be left to exercise their franchise, and the likely support of MLAs of the Congress and Independents.
However, three BSP candidates have been fielded in the polls in the hope of winning a third seat. While the party’s strategy has not been disclosed, Rashtriya Lok Dal president Ajit Singh’s decision to support the BSP seems to have boosted the latter’s chances. The BJP has 41 MLAs and can win one seat, but it has fielded two nominees.
