EYES ON UTTAR PRADESH RAJYA SABHA SEATS

From Pradeep Kapoor

LUCKNOW: The elections for 10 Rajya Sabha seats from UP next month will decide future alliances by different political parties for 2017 assembly polls in the state.

At present all the major political parties are busy in giving final shape to list of candidates but leadership of various political parties are under pressure to accommodate important leaders for future politics.

It would be worth mentioning here that with the tally of 230 MLAs ruling Samajwadi party is expected to get six seats in Rajya Sabha. BSP with 80 MLAs cannot send more than two. But fact remains that BSP would be in for big loss as its six members are retiring.

BJP with its tally of 41 seats in UP assembly will be able to send one Member in Rajya Sabha and Congress with 28 MLAs will have to seek support from Samajwadi Party to send one member.

It would be interesting to see whether Samajwadi Party national president Mulayam Singh Yadav obliges his former man Friday Amar Singh whose term is also coming to end. There were speculations that Amar Singh would return to party fold during national convention held in Lucknow but he was nowhere to be seen. it so happened that Amar Singh was invited by Mulayam Singh Yadav to attend the function in the memory of Janeshwar Mishra few months back and it gave rise to speculations that he would return to party fold and could be sent to Rajya Sabha.

Another veteran leader and former union minister, and now considered to be very close to Rahul Gandhi, could be accommodated by Mulayam Singh Yadav to win over kurmi backward votes. Although Beni Prasad Verma had been launching attack on Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav on the issue of governance and corruption, yet as political analysts say, nothing is impossible in politics.

Another interesting name doing round in political circles for SP is that of Krishna Patel, who had been President of Apna Dal founded by her late husband Sonelal Patel. Samajwadi Party wants to capitalise on family disputes as mother is confronting daughter Anupriya Patel who became Lok Sabha member with the help of BJP. Mother Krsihna Patel, who recently contested assembly by-polls on the seat vacated by her daughter, accused Anupriya of sabotaging her elections and causing her defeat.

Now in order to weaken BJP alliance with Apna Dal, Samajwadi Party wants to capitalise on family feud and send Krishna Patel to Rajya Sabha to win over powerful kurmi votes from the Apna Dal.

Another interesting development to watch is whether Mulayam Singh Yadav gives support to RLD President Ajit Singh who could manage Congress votes as well.

It would be worth mentioning here that RLD president Ajit Singh witnessed erosion in his jat support when he along with his son lost in last Lok Sabha polls. Now ever since he raised the issue of memorial of his late father Charan Singh he got support from SP and Congress and Janata Dal (U). If Mulayam Singh Yadav decided to help Ajit Singh then it could be beginning of a maha-alliance in Bihar pattern to take resurgent BJP in next UP assembly polls.

There is great speculation in BJP also whether party would keep its promise to send former Lucknow MP Lalji Tandon to Rajya Sabha. It would be worth mentioning here that when party decided to field Rajnath Singh from Lucknow, then Tandon was given assurance that he would be either be made governor or sent to Rajya Sabha. When Tandon was given offer for governorship he politely declined and said he would prefer Rajya Sabha to remain in active politics.

The suspense behind two BSP tickets is also being talked about in political circle as Mayawati is keeping nomination of persons to close to her.

There are talks that Mayawati could give Rajya Sabha nominations to new persons and in that case senior leader RK Choudhry could be accommodated. What would be the fate of Akhilesh Das whose term coming to end as well? Akhilesh Das, known for his proximity to various political parties, could spring surprise at the eleventh hour as he has support of moneybags too.

Although Congress has only 28 MLAs but there is a long list of senior party leaders who are mounting pressure on the leadership with the assurance they would get support from SP. Heading the list are former union ministers Kapil Sibal and Salman Khurshid and Beni Prasad Verma. The other leaders also trying their luck are for cabinet minister Dr Ammar Rizvi and Siraj Mehendi. (IPA Service)