During the Rajya Sabha elections on Tuesday, there is a tough contest on three seats in two Congress ruled states and one seat in Uttar Pradesh. Sources have indicated that there is every possibility of cross voting by opposition MLAs, which the Congress and the Samajwadi Party are keeping a close eye on.
In Karnataka, the ruling Congress has sent its MLAs to “safe houses” to prevent undue influence – a frequent situation in the state’s volatile politics.
For Himachal Pradesh, the measures were not so drastic. The ruling Congress there has issued a whip to its MLAs for the election on its lone Rajya Sabha seat – a move that has drawn ire from the BJP.
The main opposition party in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party, meanwhile says that everything is fine, although sources say that at least 10 MLAs of the party are ready for cross voting.
The ruling BJP and SP have the figures of sending seven and three members to Rajya Sabha unopposed. But BJP raised the stakes by fielding former SP member and industrialist Sanjay Seth as its eighth candidate.
To be elected, a candidate from the state needs approximately 37 first preference votes. BJP leaders have claimed that at least 10 SP MLAs are in touch with them.
SP has fielded actor-MP Jaya Bachchan, retired IAS officer Alok Ranjan and Dalit leader Ramji Lal Suman. The decision has apparently alienated her ally Apna Dal (Kemerawadi) leader Pallavi Patel, who had earlier said she would not vote as she did not agree with the decision to field Ms Bachchan and Mr Ranjan .
While numbers had ensured an easy victory for the Congress on four out of three seats in Karnataka, the BJP-Janata Dal Secular alliance worsened the situation by fielding a second candidate. If there were four candidates, each required 45 votes to win, but in case of more candidates, preference votes are obtained.
Congress has 134 MLAs, BJP has 66 and JD(S) has 19 MLAs, while others have four. Of the four, the Congress claims the support of two independents and Sarvodaya Karnataka side’s Darshan Puttannaiah, and is confident of winning three seats.
On Monday, Congress shifted all its MLAs to a hotel, marking the beginning of the state’s trademark resort politics. Before the elections to be held today, all the parties have issued whips to their MLAs.
The candidate the Congress is fighting for in Himachal is senior party leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, against whom the BJP has fielded its core committee member Harsh Mahajan. While Congress has a clear majority with 40 MLAs, BJP has 25 members. Three MLAs are independent, out of which two are BJP rebels. Sources said that BJP is now eyeing to bring disgruntled Congress MLAs to its side.
The election is expected to be a prestige battle for Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, who took charge of the state after the assembly elections last year.
56 Rajya Sabha seats from 15 states were to get new members, out of which 41 have already been elected unopposed. Voting on the remaining seats will take place from 9 am to 4 pm today. Counting of votes will begin at 5 pm and results are expected by late evening.
The ruling BJP has 28 of the 56 seats – including one left vacant by party MLA Kirori Lal Meena, who has become a minister in Rajasthan. After the elections it will have at least 29 seats. India Bloc will gain two seats in Uttar Pradesh as SP is expected to increase its number of seats from one to three.
