MP: Will BJP Field 3rd RS Candidate in June 18 Biennial Polls? ‘Nervous’ Congress Keenly Watches Ruling Party’s Move
As per the strength of parties in the state Assembly, a candidate needs 58 votes to go to RS from MP in the polls.
Bhopal: Amid growing speculations on the possibility of BJP fielding a third candidate to force an election in the June 18 biennial polls to the Rajya Sabha in Madhya Pradesh, Congress has gone into overdrive to keep its flock together to foil chances of cross voting in its legislature party at the hustings.
Even though, state Congress president Jitu Patwari has earlier ruled out any possibility of cross voting in his party in the upcoming biennial polls for three Rajya Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh, a section of party leaders appeared ‘concerned’ over the possibility of BJP engineering cross voting in the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) to secure additional nine votes it needed to win the third RS seat.
“We are keenly watching BJP’s moves for the June 18 RS polls and making all efforts to deny the BJP the luxury of winning all the third RS seat”, a senior Congress functionary told this newspaper on Saturday, requesting not to be quoted.
Biennial polls to three Rajya Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh are going to be held on June 18 following scheduled expiry of the current tenures of three MPs from the state, Union minister George Kurien and Sumer Singh Solanki (both from BJP) and Digvijay Singh (Congress), next month.
The BJP with 168 members in the state Assembly is in a comfortable position to send two nominees to the Upper House whereas the Congress with 63 MLAs is in a position to win the third seat.
As per the strength of parties in the state Assembly, a candidate needs 58 votes to go to RS from MP in the polls.
Accordingly, the BJP will need nine votes if the party wants to win the third seat by snatching it away from the Congress.
“Madhya Pradesh unit of BJP has already sent a list of prospective RS candidates to the Central party to finalize the nominees”, a senior BJP leader said.
However, the BJP has kept the cards close to its chest providing no indication so far as to if the party would field a third candidate to force an election in the upcoming biennial polls in the state, sources said.
Congress is yet to initiate the process of candidate selection for the polls even as former chief minister Mr. Singh has announced that he is not going to seek renomination in the ensuing polls for RS.
