Rajya Sabha polls: SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav expects to win 3 seats amid cross-voting speculation

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 27 (ANI): Ahead of the biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha and amid speculation of cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha election, Samajwadi Party Cheif Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday expected to win three seats, where the party has put up candidates, in the Rajya Sabha election.
In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has put up eight Rajya Sabha candidates and the Samajwadi Party 3 for the 10 seats at stake. As per the numbers in the Legislative Assembly, the BJP is guaranteed to win 7 seats while the SP should win 3 seats. However, there are reports that several MLAs could cross-vote.
On Monday, some legislators of the SP went missing from a dinner hosted by SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav. Reports suggest at least 8 MLAs were missing from the dinner and now the fear is these legislators could abstain from the vote or corss vote, either of which will result in BJP winning its eighth seat in the state.
"We hope all three candidates of Samajwadi Party will win...BJP can use all the tactics to win elections. BJP will do everything possible for victory. Some of our leaders who want personal gains can go to the BJP..." said Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.
"Our MLAs who are in contact with the Bharatiya Janata Party and those who want to take advantage of it will go with the Bharatiya Janata Party. They are being lured by the Bharatiya Janata Party camp," added SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav.
The National General Secretary of Samajwadi Party, Shivpal Singh Yadav, also said that democratic values have been finished off.
"Democratic values have been finished off...let's see what happens if things happen this way..." said National General Secretary of Samajwadi Party Shivpal Singh Yadav.
Meanwhile, Rajendra Chaudhary, Samajwadi Party leader said that an unbiased election will strengthen democracy.
"Elections should be unbiased then only democracy will strengthen. Those who misuse power, can't be a supporter of democracy..." said SP leader Rajendra Chaudhary.
The BJP however is confident on getting the numbers to win all the eights seats where they have put up candidates.
UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak said, " MLAs support and blessings are with BJP's candidates. The results will be in favour of BJP...all candidates of BJP will win"
The seven candidates fielded by the BJP are former Union Minister RPN Singh, former MP Chaudhary Tejveer Singh, general secretary of the party's Uttar Pradesh unit Amarpal Maurya, former state minister Sangeeta Balwant (Bind), party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi, former MLA Sadhna Singh and former Agra mayor Naveen Jain.
But with the BJP fielding Sanjay Seth as its eighth candidate, a keen contest is on the cards in one of the seats.
The SP has fielded actor MP Jaya Bachchan, retired IAS officer Alok Ranjan, and Ramji Lal Suman.
To get elected to the Rajya Sabha from UP, a candidate needs nearly 37 first preference votes. Voting for the 10 Rajya Sabha seats will be held on Tuesday and the results will be announced the same day.
While the NDA and SP-Congress were negotiating with other parties on Monday in an attempt to gather the necessary support for their candidates, the BJP gained momentum when Raja Bhaiyya's Jansatta Dal-Loktantrik promised to extend the support of its two MLAs to the party.
Following his grandfather Chaudhary Charan Singh being honoured with the Bharat Ratna earlier this month, Jayant Chaudhary had already declared RLD's support for the BJP. RLD's nine MLAs met with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and attended a strategy session at Lok Bhawan with NDA partners.
The term for Rajya Sabha MPs is six years, and elections are held after every two years for 33 per cent of the seats. Currently, the Rajya Sabha has a strength of 245 members.
Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in the country, the outcome of the polls to the Rajya Sabha is likely to have an impact in the politically crucial state. (ANI)