BSP set to gain upper hand in Upper House

In the Upper House that has a total strength of 100,the SP currently has 35 members,followed by 22 of the ruling BSP,16 of the BJP,three of the Congress and five of the Rashtriya Lok Dal. While nine are from the teachers’ group,there are six Independents and four seats are vacant.

The BSP is confident of improving its tally,which will enable it to capture the office of the Chairman. Since it captured power in UP in May 2007,the BSP has improved its tally from 14 to 22 in the Upper House.

Being in a minority,the BSP government failed to get key Bills passed in the Council on several occasions in the past. For instance,the UP Higher Education Commission Bill 2009 is still pending before a select committee,even though it was passed by the Assembly in August last.

Traditionally,the ruling party in the state has captured a majority of the seats in the election from the local bodies constituency.

In the 1998 elections,held during the BJP regime,the ruling party had cornered 25 seats. In the last elections in 2004,the SP was in power and won 23 of the 36 seats.

“It has become an established practice in Uttar Pradesh that the ruling party has an upper hand in the election to the 36 seats of the local bodies,but I hope the elections will be free and fair,” said Om Prakash Sharma,a veteran of the Upper House and leader of the teachers’ group.

Perhaps sensing the outcome,the SP is already alleging misuse of the official machinery by the BSP.

“The ruling party has unleashed a reign of terror in the rural areas of the 35 districts. Village pradhans and other elected members of the panchayat institutions are being intimidated and being offered inducements to vote for the BSP candidate,” said SP spokesman Rajendra Chowdhary.

Of the total 100 members in the UP Legislative Council,38 are elected from the Assembly constituency,36 from the local bodies constituency,eight each from the teachers and graduate constituencies while 10 are nominated by the Governor on the advice of the chief minister.

Elected representatives of the three-tier panchayat bodies,including the village pradhans,block pramukhs,members of the zila panchayat and block development committee,and elected representatives of the urban local bodies constitute the electoral college for the election to the Upper House from this constituency.