Akhilesh Yadav threatens action against cross-voting MLAs

SP MLAs Manoj Pandey, Rakesh Pratap Singh, Abhay Singh, Pooja Pal along with UP DCM Brajesh Pathak and other leaders show victory sign after casting vote. Pic/PTI

Amid concerns over cross-voting and the party chief whip quitting while polling was underway in the Rajya Sabha elections, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav Tuesday warned action will be taken against such MLAs. The SP's chief whip in state Assembly Manoj Pandey quit the party on Tuesday, the jolt coming a day after he and seven other MLAs skipped a meeting called by Yadav, raising concerns about cross-voting by some SP legislators during the voting for 10 Rajya Sabha seats from the state.

"Those who wanted to profit from the situation will go. Those who were given assurances (by the BJP) will go," Yadav told reporters at the assembly before casting his vote. Action will be taken against such MLAs, he said. "The BJP can adopt all tricks to win elections. It must have given assurance (to some MLAs) of some profit... BJP will do anything to win," he added.

"Those who don't have the courage to fight will go. Some might have been afraid for their security, some might have been threatened or promised something," the SP president said. The BJP has fielded eight candidates and the opposition SP three for the 10 Rajya Sabha seats for which voting was held on Tuesday. The BJP and the SP have the numbers to send seven and three members, respectively, to the Upper House of Parliament but with the BJP fielding Sanjay Seth as its eighth candidate, a keen contest was ensured.

BJP's Harsh Mahajan elected from HP

Amid cross-voting, BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan on Tuesday won the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Himachal Pradesh, defeating ruling Congress's Abhishek Manu Singhvi, officials said. The contest was tied at 34-34 votes, after which Mahajan was declared winner by draw of lots, they said. It is a major jolt for the Congress which has 40 MLAs in the 68-member state assembly and claimed support of the independents. The result made it clear that nine MLAs voted in favour of the BJP which was confident that Congress MLAs would exercise ‘conscience vote'.

Cong wins 3 seats, BJP one in Karnataka

The ruling Congress in Karnataka won three seats and the BJP one in the Rajya Sabha elections in Karnataka. Those who were elected to the Upper House are Ajay Maken, G C Chandrasekhar and Syed Naseer Hussain, all belonging to the Congress, and Narayansa K Bhandage of the BJP. Five candidates were in the fray for the four seats in the elections, including JD(S) contestant D Kupendra Reddy. The elections were marred by cross-voting. While one BJP MLAs, S T Somashekar, voted for Maken, the other, A Shivaram Hebbar, abstained.

Cong wins 3 seats, BJP one in Karnataka

The ruling Congress in Karnataka won three seats and the BJP one in the Rajya Sabha elections in Karnataka.Those who were elected to the Upper House are Ajay Maken, G C Chandrasekhar and Syed Naseer Hussain, all belonging to the Congress, and Narayansa K Bhandage of the BJP. Five candidates were in the fray for the four seats in the elections, including JD(S) contestant D Kupendra Reddy. The elections were marred by cross-voting. While one BJP MLAs, S T Somashekar, voted for Maken, the other, A Shivaram Hebbar, abstained.

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No of RS seats in state

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