Opposition stares at cross-voting in UP RS polls as 7 SP MLAs skip party meet

The threat of cross-voting loomed large on the Opposition parties in the upcoming Rajya Sabha biennial polls in Uttar Pradesh as seven legislators of the Samajwadi Party (SP) skipped a meeting convened by the party supremo Akhilesh Yadav here on Wednesday to formulate its strategy for the polls.

According to the sources, of 47 MLAs of the SP only 40 attended the meeting. Among the absentees were Akhilesh's uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav, former minister Azam Khan and his son Azam Abdullah. The son of former SP leader Naresh Agarwal, who had joined the BJP, was also absent in the meeting.

Sources said that Naresh Agarwal had already declared that his son Nitin Agarwal would be voting for the BJP in the RS polls.  Shivpal's absence has left the SP worried as he is said to have an influence over other party legislators.    

SP leader Rajendra Chaudhary claimed that all the party MLAs except Nitin Agarwal were united and would vote as per the instruction of the party.

According to the sources Congress, which has seven legislators in the house, is also staring at a possible cross-voting. ''At least three Congress MLAs are likely to support us,'' claimed a senior state BJP leader here.

BSP, which has 19 members in the assembly, is banking on the support of the SP and Congress to enable its lone candidate to sail through.

Sources said that BJP has set its eyes on the opposition MLAs to ensure win for its ninth candidate. The saffron party had 28 spare votes after ensuring clear wins for its eight nominees and would need nine extra votes for the ninth candidate.