Uttar Pradesh BJP on Wednesday announced formation of a four-member committee to oversee the Legislative Council polls and ensure victory of party candidates in the January 23 biennial election.
“A four-member committee having BJP legislative party leader Suresh Kumar Khanna, Hriday Narain Dixit, Dharmpal Singh and Ramapati Shastri has been formed to oversee the Legislative Council polls,” party spokesperson Vijay Bahadur Pathak said. “Like other parties, we are also banking on extra votes and analysing the situation”, Pathak told media persons.
While senior party leader Satish Mahan has been designated poll-agent for candidate Lakshman Achayra, legislator Suresh Rana will be Dayashankar Singh’s polling agent, he added.
With the state Assembly having 403 members, first preference votes of 31 MLAs would be needed to ensure victory of one candidate for the Upper House.
BJP, which has 41 MLAs, can ensure victory of only one candidate, leaving a surplus of 10 votes. However, the party, is banking on support of independents and smaller parties has fielded two candidates.
Samajwadi Party with 230 MLAs is expected to have a smooth sailing in seven seats. Keeping in mind the 13 surplus votes with it, SP is contesting an additional seat, expecting cross-voting to make up for the remaining votes.
Bahujan Samaj Party with 80 MLAs will easily manage two seats, but with a surplus of 18 votes, it would require support of 13 MLAs from outside to ensure victory of its third candidate.
While Congress with 28 MLAs has given support to the SP, Rashtriya Lok Dal having eight members has given support to the BSP.
The elections were necessitated with 12 council members –seven are from BSP, three from SP and two from BJP– retiring on January 30.