UP Legislative Council polls: SP treads with caution, no candidates fielded yet

Of the 13 MLCs whose term is ending on May 5, 10 are from the BJP, while Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Apna Dal (Sonelal) have a member each

LUCKNOW After suffering cross-voting, defeat and embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha polls last month, the Samajwadi Party (SP) seems to be exercising caution over another indirect contest -- the UP Legislative Council polls. March 11 is the last date for filing nomination papers, but the party has not fielded its candidates yet, and the BJP, by not declaring any candidates, has added suspense within its ranks and outside.

March 11 is the last date for filing nomination papers, but the party has not fielded its candidates yet, and the BJP, by not declaring any candidates, has added suspense within its ranks and outside. (File Photo)

The council (Vidhan Parishad) polls are scheduled on March 21 and the nomination date for the elections began on March 4.

Of the 13 MLCs whose term is ending on May 5, 10 are from the BJP, while Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Apna Dal (Sonelal) have a member each. Currently, on its current strength in the UP assembly, the SP would be able to get three candidates elected, while the BJP (along with allies) will be able to send 10 members to the council. If the BJP-led NDA fields any extra candidate, the situation may be worrisome for the SP again.

However, the four names in the SP that are on top among those doing the rounds for the three seats (that SP could secure) are -- Shah Alam alias Guddu Jamali, Balram Yadav, Krishna Patel, and Naresh Uttam Patel. Shah Alam is a former BSP MLA from Mubarakpur (Azamgarh) and was the BSP LS candidate for the Azamgarh Lok Sabha bypolls in June 2022. Though he did not win, his being in the fray caused the SP to lose and the BJP to win the seat first time.

Balram Yadav is a senior SP leader and former MLA and MLC. Krishna Patel is the president of Apna Dal (K) -- an SP ally. Naresh Uttam Patel is the SP state president whose current term in the council will expire on May 5.

Similarly, many names are doing the rounds in the BJP-led NDA for the 10 members they would be able to send. Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) is the only one that has declared a candidate -- Yogesh Chaudhary. The RLD, a former SP ally, is now the BJP ally and has fielded the candidate in arrangement with the BJP.

The BJP is also likely to give a candidature to the SBSP (Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party).

BJP MLCs, who are retiring, include Mahendra Kumar Singh, Vijay Bahadur Pathak, Mohsin Raza, Vidya Sagar Sonkar, Sarojini Agarwal, Yashwant Singh, Ashok Kataria, Ashok Dhawan, Bukkal Nawab and Nirmala Paswan. SP’s state chief Naresh Uttam Patel, BSP’s Bhim Rao Ambedkar, Apna Dal (S) leader and UP minister Ashish Patel are among others whose tenure is ending. The BSP is in no position to field a candidate because it has only one MLA.

After May 5, the UP legislative council will not have any BSP members.

The SP, which currently has eight members, will be able to get the status of having a leader of opposition in the council. Currently, there is no leader of opposition in the council as the biggest opposition party must have at least 10 members in the council to have a leader of opposition.

If the SP or the BJP (with allies) do not field any extra candidates, then there will not be any voting and the nominees will get elected unopposed.