Why seven contests in Saturday’s Rajya Sabha elections promise to be photo-finishes

NEW DELHI: There are seven contests in Saturday’s Rajya Sabha elections that promises to be photo-finishes and barring Karnataka, where JD(S) is locked in a fight with Congress, the remaining fights are between Congress and BJP candidates or their proxies.

The dramatic entry of BJP-sponsored Preeti Mahapatra as an independent candidate has made the fight for the eleventh seat interesting in UP.

By forcing a contest for the last slot, BJP has made it a tricky situation for Congress nominee Kapil Sibal. In need of 8 extra votes, Sibal’s chances will depend on Congress ability to get BSP’s 12 surplus votes.

In Harayana, the Congress has not fielded an official candidate but BJP-backed Subhash Chandra is reportedly seeking the Bhupender Singh Hooda faction’s backing, AICC has called its MLAs for a meeting on Friday.



“At no cost will we vote for a BJPbacked candidate,” said an AICC office-bearer. In which case, the Congress option is to abstain or vote for INLD-backed RK Anand.

In MP, the BJP has fielded ‘independent’ Vivek Gotia for the second seat to challenge Congress’ Vivek Tankha who requires 1more vote apart from its party MLAs. BSP has extended support of 4 MLAs to Tankha, but the BJP continues to ‘work’ for Gotia.

In Uttarakhand, Congress candidate Pradeep Tamta requires two more votes, apart from that of his party’s 27 MLAs. Anil Goyal is BJP’s official nominee but ‘independent’ Geetha Thakur hopes of wooing votes from 2 BSP and 4 PDF MLAs, whose support the Congress claims.

BJP has sponsored Mahesh Poddar to challenge JMM’s Basanth Soren for the second seat in Jharkhand, where Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi is its first candidate.

If JMM MLAs unitedly vote for Soren, he can win with Congress and RJD backing. Congress has extended support to Kamal Morarka for the fifth seat in Rajasthan but he is five short of requisite votes.