UP Legislative Council polls today amid fear of cross-voting

Lucknow: The fear of cross-voting looms large as 14 candidates vie for 13 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council seats going to polls on Friday.With anti-defection law not being applicable, the various political parties are trying to keep their respective lot intact and issued whip for their legislators.

All the party leaders are holding meeting with their members keeping in mind the new equations which may emerge one day before the Rajya Sabha polls and ultimately in view of the coming state assembly polls in 2017.

The arithmetic of the Upper House:

• The ruling Samajwadi Party has eight candidates and it needs 232 legislators to see them home.
• Mayawati-led BSP has three candidates and they need seven more members in addition to existing 80.
• BJP has fielded two candidates. BJP has 41 legislators and need 12 more to see them through.
• Congress has pitched a single candidate and has only 29 legislators. Congress fears cross-voting the most.

SP, BSP, BJP and Congress had their respective meetings of legislature party and asked them to follow the whip. In the meeting of SP prseident Mulaym Singh Yadav, about ten legislators were absent. Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati was also in Lucknow holding meetings with the party leaders.

• BJP needs 12 votes for which they are eying the rebels of other parties.
• National BJP Vice President Purushottam Rupala, general secretary Anil Jain and Lucknow Mayor Dr Dinesh Sharma have been entrusted with the poll management.
• SP general secretary Shiv pal Singh Yadav had taken the meeting of the party and tried to convince many reluctant members.
• Those who were absent in Mulayam's meeting attended Shiv pal's meeting.
• Significantly, the Ajit Singh-led RLD members attended the dinner meeting of SP.
• Mayawati has not yet announced support to any party.
• It needs seven votes for its three candidates.
• BSP has ssupended Rajesh Tripathi, the MLA from Chilloopar constituency though he claims he resigned on his own.
• Senior Congress leader K L Sharma took the meeting of Congress Legislature Party in which six members were absent.
• Deepak Singh is the lone Congress candidate in the fray.