Rajya Sabha: Smarting over bypoll defeat, BJP makes it tough for Mayawati
The contest for 10 Rajya Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh was set to go down to the wire today as the BJP worked to upstage the Samajwadi Party and Mayawati, who joined forces to defeat the ruling party in two of its key parliamentary strongholds. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao are among the BJP candidates guaranteed to win. The Samajwadi Party has fielded actor-turned-politician Jaya Bachchan in the one seat it is sure to win.
Seven Congress lawmakers went in a large group and voted early for Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)'s Bhim Rao Ambedkar. But Mayawati's lone candidate still has a long way to go.
"There is no cross-voting. It was a decision taken by the party president (Rahul Gandhi). We are fully united and this election will strengthen the entire opposition," said Congress lawmaker Aradhana Mishra.
However, in a setback for the BSP, one of its lawmaker said that he voted in favour of the BJP. "I am with Maharaj ji (Yogi Adityanath)," said Anil Kumar Singh, an MLA from Purwa in Unnao district.
There are 11 candidates for 10 Rajya Sabha seats and 37 first preference votes are needed for each seat. The BJP has enough lawmakers - over 300 - to win eight seats comfortably. The Samajwadi Party has 47 lawmakers, enough to win one seat. Mayawati's party needs 19 votes to win one seat. As part of a deal that helped the Samajwadi Party (SP) win the two BJP seats where bypolls were held earlier this month, Mayawati's candidate is to get the surplus SP votes.
But the BJP, out to avenge its bypoll defeat, has made it a fight by supporting an independent candidate. It has 28 extra votes to aim for a ninth seat, and needs nine more to win.
The BJP's ally Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) - which is upset with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath - has pledged the support of its four lawmakers after being placated by BJP president Amit Shah. The Apna Dal (Sonelal) with nine legislators has also decided to vote for BJP nominees.
With the Samajwadi's eight, Congress's seven and another vote from Ajit Singh's RLD, the BSP will still need three more votes. Two independent lawmakers, including Raja Bhaiyya - who was once jailed by Mayawati - has promised to support the BSP. It still has a deficit of one vote.
If the Samajwadi Party prioritises its deal with Mayawati for the bypolls - which could set the stage for a larger alliance for the 2019 national election between the rivals - Akhilesh Yadav may get his lawmakers to send Mayawati's nominee to the Rajya Sabha. In that case, SP's own candidate Jaya Bachchan faces a challenge.
Samajwadi lawmaker Nitin Agrawal is expected to cross-vote for the BJP. His father Naresh Agarwal recently switched from SP to BJP after being passed over for Jaya Bachchan.
The country's most populous state sends 31 members to the 245-member Rajya Sabha, and the BJP, which won a massive victory in the 2017 Assembly elections, is yet to get a lion's share of these.
On Thursday, the Samajwadi Party, BJP and Mayawati held final rounds of meetings and dinners in Lucknow to consolidate their lawmakers.
Seven Congress lawmakers went in a large group and voted early for Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)'s Bhim Rao Ambedkar. But Mayawati's lone candidate still has a long way to go.
"There is no cross-voting. It was a decision taken by the party president (Rahul Gandhi). We are fully united and this election will strengthen the entire opposition," said Congress lawmaker Aradhana Mishra.
However, in a setback for the BSP, one of its lawmaker said that he voted in favour of the BJP. "I am with Maharaj ji (Yogi Adityanath)," said Anil Kumar Singh, an MLA from Purwa in Unnao district.
There are 11 candidates for 10 Rajya Sabha seats and 37 first preference votes are needed for each seat. The BJP has enough lawmakers - over 300 - to win eight seats comfortably. The Samajwadi Party has 47 lawmakers, enough to win one seat. Mayawati's party needs 19 votes to win one seat. As part of a deal that helped the Samajwadi Party (SP) win the two BJP seats where bypolls were held earlier this month, Mayawati's candidate is to get the surplus SP votes.
But the BJP, out to avenge its bypoll defeat, has made it a fight by supporting an independent candidate. It has 28 extra votes to aim for a ninth seat, and needs nine more to win.
The BJP's ally Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) - which is upset with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath - has pledged the support of its four lawmakers after being placated by BJP president Amit Shah. The Apna Dal (Sonelal) with nine legislators has also decided to vote for BJP nominees.
With the Samajwadi's eight, Congress's seven and another vote from Ajit Singh's RLD, the BSP will still need three more votes. Two independent lawmakers, including Raja Bhaiyya - who was once jailed by Mayawati - has promised to support the BSP. It still has a deficit of one vote.
If the Samajwadi Party prioritises its deal with Mayawati for the bypolls - which could set the stage for a larger alliance for the 2019 national election between the rivals - Akhilesh Yadav may get his lawmakers to send Mayawati's nominee to the Rajya Sabha. In that case, SP's own candidate Jaya Bachchan faces a challenge.
Samajwadi lawmaker Nitin Agrawal is expected to cross-vote for the BJP. His father Naresh Agarwal recently switched from SP to BJP after being passed over for Jaya Bachchan.
The country's most populous state sends 31 members to the 245-member Rajya Sabha, and the BJP, which won a massive victory in the 2017 Assembly elections, is yet to get a lion's share of these.
On Thursday, the Samajwadi Party, BJP and Mayawati held final rounds of meetings and dinners in Lucknow to consolidate their lawmakers.