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U.P. MLC polls: Oppn space shrinks as all 13 candidates elected unopposed
The opposition space in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) shrunk further after nine more members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were declared elected unopposed as members of the legislative council (MLCs) on Monday
The opposition space in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) shrunk further after nine more members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were declared elected unopposed as members of the legislative council (MLCs) on Monday.
Four members of the opposition Samajwadi Party, including former BJP minister Swami Prasad Maurya, an OBC, also entered the council unopposed. The BJP now has 72 members in the upper house of the state legislature as against nine members of the SP—the main opposition party. The BJP has already named Jal Shakti minister Swatantra Dev, a Kurmi (OBC), as the leader of the upper house where deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, the ruling party’s OBC face in the state, was among the nine members who were elected unopposed.
“Earlier, as leader of the opposition in the U.P. assembly, Swami Prasad ji would give long speeches to run down the government. Having been part of the BJP government from 2017-2022, his joining the SP ahead of the 2022 U.P. polls and his subsequent loss in the elections and now his entry in the council means he would be the main opposition voice now,” an SP member said.
The BSP has now been reduced to a solitary member in the council while the Congress doesn’t have any representation in the council now—a first since independence. The BJP’s dominance in the upper house would increase even more when governor nominates 6 members to the council. Once this happens, the BJP’s strength would be 78 in the 100-member U.P. Council the first time.
“After their surprise losses in the U.P. assembly polls, the two Mauryas, now in opposite flanks, are members of the council. This is the first time since the sudden, bitter parting of ways that they would face each other inside the council. Thus, despite the shrinking opposition space, SP would be relying on Swami Prasad to challenge the ruling party. That is why, despite BJP’s dominance there would be much to look out for in the upper house,” said professor Manuka Khanna of the political science department of Lucknow University.
The BJP’s nine members who received their certificates from returning officer for the U.P. MLC polls Brij Bhushan Dubey included deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, Chaudhary Bhupendra Singh, Daya Shankar Mishra ‘Dayalu’, JPS Rathore, Narendra Kashyap, Jaswant Saini and Danish Azad Ansari – all ministers in Yogi 2.0 government.
They also include BJP’s surprise picks— Lucknow BJP chief Mukesh Sharma and Dalit leader from Kannauj Banwari Lal Dohre. After receiving his certificate, Sharma prayed at temples. The four winners from the SP included Swami Prasad Maurya, Shahnawaz Khan alias Shibbu, a party member from Saharanpur considered close to party veteran Azam Khan, Mukul Yadav, son of Sobaran Yadav, the former SP lawmaker from Karhal in Mainpuri, and Jasmir Ansari, a former lawmaker from Sitapur.
