The SP has fielded seven candidates but its seventh candidate is short of nine first-preference votes. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said the RS polls have exposed parties opposed to the NDA. "BSP is supporting Congress candidates but the two parties claim to be rivals. They should clear this ambiguity," he said.

1. Ahead of Rajya Sabha polls, parties on edge,
keep fingers crossed
NEW DELHI: On the eve of the crucial Rajya Sabha polls, official candidates of mainstream
parties remained on the edge on Friday for fear over possible cross-voting and support of
independents who hold the key in some places.
While BJP pulled all stops to manage the numbers for Independents it has covertly supported, a
sense of unease prevails among other parties which have kept their legislators in good humour.
However, BJP itself is feeling the heat in Rajasthan, where its 160 MLAs have been kept huddled
in a hotel for the past three days.
Samajwadi Party and BSP in Uttar Pradesh, too, have been heaving lavish hospitality on their
MLAs, including sumptuous meals. With seven candidates in the fray, the ruling SP has been the
most hospitable to its legislators. For the last three days, the MLAs had party chief Mulayam
Singh Yadav and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for company over dinner.

2. BSP chief Mayawati has been equally generous, interacting with media as well as party
legislators. BSP has held three meetings with party MLAs in the past one week while Mayawati
addressed the media twice.
Although, BSP has supported Congress nominees in Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh, the party
is still silent about its 12 votes which could be crucial for Congress nominee Kapil Sibal, who is
short of the required 34 votes. "Who we support will be clear after the results come out,"
Mayawati told reporters in Lucknow on Thursday.
There are 12 candidates against 11 vacancies in UP, where BJP-supported independent, Preeti
Mahapatra, has created a flutter. Sibal, despite being short of the required numbers, is likely to
romp home with possible support of BSP and RLD.
The SP has fielded seven candidates but its seventh candidate is short of nine first-preference
votes. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said the RS polls have exposed parties opposed
to the NDA. "BSP is supporting Congress candidates but the two parties claim to be rivals. They
should clear this ambiguity," he said.
Congress has declared support for independent candidate Kamal Morarka in Rajasthan where
BJP has kept 160 MLAs in a hotel at Ajmer Road on the outskirts of Jaipur.
Rajasthan Congress president Sachin Pilot claimed that jammers had been installed around the
hotel, where CM Vasundhara Raje and some of her ministerial colleagues are camping with the
legislators.
"Government functioning has come to standstill as most of the ministers have been asked to take
care of MLAs," said Pilot. He said his party's 24 MLAs would support Morarka so that there is
no walkover to the BJP candidates.
Congress has formally decided to support INLD candidate, Supreme Court lawyer, RK Anand in
Rajya Sabha polls in Haryana. "To defeat BJP supported candidate, it will be pertinent for us to
support Anand," said Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari on Friday. He said that Anand had
met the Congress leadership and had expressed faith in Congress ideology. With Congress
support, while RK Anand is set to re-enter the upper house against BJP supported independent
Subhash Chandra.

3. BJP's senior leader Vinod Gotiya, contesting as independent in Madhya Pradesh, has a fight on
hand with Congress nominee and senior lawyer Vivek Tankha for the third vacancy.
Mahesh Poddar is the other BJP-supported candidate vying from Jharkhand. In Uttarakhand, two
independents — Gita Thakur and Anil Goel — are in the fray. However, BJP has distanced itself
from them.
As against its 14 retiring members from different states, BJP may get 18 seats — a net gain of
four seats. Overall, Congress (60 MPs) is likely to continue to be the largest party in RS, but the
tally of UPA may for the first time be lower than that of NDA.
This Blog is Originally Posted on Time OF India