With the Samajwadi Party nominating eight candidates and the Bahujan Samaj Party three, the January 23 Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council) elections to 12 seats are headed for a keen finish.
The SP, which has a strength of 230 MLAs, can win seven seats considering that the support of 33 MLAs is required for electing a candidate.
The party will bank on the support of Independents and members of the small parties for the eighth seat.
Given its strength of 80 MLAs, the BSP can win two seats. By announcing the third candidate, the BSP too seems to be depending on the support of Independents and other parties to win another. The names of the candidates were declared by BSP president Mayawati on Sunday.
The BJP, which is yet to name its candidates, has 41 MLAs and can win one seat.
If only 12 candidates remained in the fray, then the SP would win eight, the BSP three and the BJP one.
However, if the Congress and the Rashtriya Lok Dal, with 36 MLAs, puts up a joint candidate, a contest may be held for one seat, opening up the possibility of cross-voting.
