Rajya Sabha polls: Opposition edgy as Allahabad High Court bars jailed BSP, SP MLAs from casting vote

LUCKNOW: In a major setback to united opposition’s strategy to see lone BSP candidate through in crucial Rajya Sabha elections, Allahabad High Court on Thursday restrained Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Mukhtar Ansari from casting his vote on Friday. Ansari is lodged in Banda jail on charges of murder and intimidation.

On the other hand, SP MLA Hariom Yadav has also been barred by a special Firozabad court from exercising his franchise in the crucial battle for the 10th seat of Rajya Sabha from UP. Yadav is lodged in
Ferozabad jail.

While hearing the plea filed by the state government, single judge bench of Justice Rajul Bhargava also issued notice to Ansari and fixed April 9 as the next date of hearing.

In the petition, the state government had challenged the order of special judge, Ghazipur, who had on March 20 allowed Ansari to cast vote on March 23 Rs polls at the state assembly under police custody.

The united opposition, which was nearly sure of BSP candidate Bhim Rao Ambedkar’s victory on the 10th RS seat by mustering the support of independent MLAs Raghuraj Pratap Singh and his close aide
Vinod Saroj till Thursday evening, went wary yet again after court orders. Moreover, the reports of a BSP MLA Anil Singh meeting CM Yogi at his residence pushed the opposition further to edge. However, earlier in the day, Samajwadi Party fulfilled the demand of BSP chief Mayawati by handing over the list its
nine ‘dedicated’ MLAs in favour of Ambedkar.

In a swiftly changing political scenario, uncertainly looms large over the fate of BSP candidate who is pitted against BJP’s Anil Agarawal. There are 46 SP MLAs (after Nitin Agarwal joined BJP), 19 BSP,
seven Congress and one RLD  MLAs taking the total strength of the opposition to 73. SP's Jaya Bachchan and BSP's Bhim Rao Ambedkar needed 37  first priority votes each for victory.