BJP-supported Independent loses RS election from Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow: The Bhartiya Janata Party-backed independent, Priti Mahapatra, who was contesting the Rajya Sabha election from Uttar Pradesh, has failed to be elected to the upper house, causing yet another setback to the party.

The party’s candidate Daya Shankar had lost the state legislative council election on Friday. In vote management the Bahujan Samaj Party had excelled as it could get elected all the three candidates it had fielded for the council though it had not got the required number for their success.

In Saturday election too, the party got additional two support.

Priti can, however, draw some comfort from the fact that she has got 18 first preference votes. Another noteworthy feature, Kapil Sibal, a noted lawyer and senior Congress member got only 24 first preference votes though the congress has 29 members in the assembly. One of the party members could not vote as he was ill but four others have, apparently, gone for some other candidates.

At least five Samajwadi Party members of state assembly have cross-voted. The list included a minister in the SP government Vinod Kumar and his brother. The duo- had also voted against the party in the legislative council election on Friday and openly declared it. Senior party leader Shivpal Yadav has threatened to take action against all the rebels.

The election was held for 11 Rajaya Sabha seats. To fill the vacancy to be caused next month SP had fielded seven candidates and the BSP two. The Congress and the BJP had nominated one each. All of them will go to the Upper House. Independent was the only loser.

Names of candidates:

Samajwadi Party

Reoti Raman Singh

Amar Singh

Beni Prasad Verma

Vishambhar Prasad Nishad

Sanjay Seth

Sukhram Yadav

Surendra Nagar