Lucknow: As the dates for Rajya Sabha elections come close, political parties in Uttar Pradesh are preparing in full swing to retain their MLAs and keep them from cross-voting. Meanwhile, fight for the Rajya Sabha berth between BJP candidate Anil Agarwal and BSP candidate Bhim Rao Ambedkar will be the one to keep an eye on.
The BJP quipped on Tuesday that the opposition parties should prepare as much as they can as they will need a lot of “strength” to defeat the BJP in 2019.
UP government spokesperson, Siddharth Nath Singh said, “BSP and SP can hold as many dinners as they want and eat now in order to become healthier as they will need a lot of strength to defeat the BJP in 2019. Our allies are not going anywhere.”
Anil Agarwal is the ninth candidate from BJP who is short of just 9 votes as the party be left with 28 votes even after sending eight candidates to the Rajya Sabha. One MLA of the Nishad Party, Vijay Mishra has also declared support for BJP. Also, Nitin Agarwal, son of Naresh Agarwal who has recently joined BJP, is most likely to go to the BJP.
On the other hand, BSP candidate Ambedkar will be getting the votes of 19 BSP MLAs along with 10 Samajwadi Party votes, which they will be left with after sending Jaya Bachchan to the Rajya Sabha. The Congress too, will be lending support to Ambedkar with its seven MLAs.
In a bid to keep the flock together, Samajwadi Party has called for a dinner meeting at a five-star property in Lucknow on March 21 and party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, Ram Gopal Yadav, Shivpal Yadav and party president Akhilesh Yadav will be attending the meeting along with some ex-MLAs and ministers. SP MLA Rakesh Pratap Singh is organising the dinner.
Speaking to News18, Rakesh Singh said, “Invitations have been sent out to all key people and I expect that everyone will attend the dinner. The dinner is being hosted to celebrate the historic win in Phulpur and Gorakhpur bypolls. I have personally invited Raja Bhaiyya, along with Shivpal Yadav Ji and Neta Ji and I am sure they will come.”
The Bahujan Samaj Party has also called for a meeting of its MLAs on March 22, a day before the Rajya Sabha polls.
Meanwhile, Congress has also appointed a whip for its MLAs and has issued instructions for March 21-23.
Congress MLA Ajay Kumar Lallu is hosting a dinner for all Congress MLAs on Wednesday. Lallu said, “Every party hosts meeting with its MLAs and it is routine. We are meeting this evening (Tuesday) as well, to discuss our strategy for the Rajya Sabha elections.”
The ruling Bhartiya Janta Party has also called for a meeting of all BJP MLAs and allies on March 21 at the official residence of CM Yogi Adityanath.
Senior party leaders and ministers have been instructed to be in touch with the MLAs while CM Yogi Adityanath is monitoring the situation himself.
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