Amar Singh may get Samajwadi Party push in Rajya Sabha race

After long years in political wilderness, expelled Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh may return to the Rajya Sabha after the June biennial elections. The SP is likely to back Mr Singh’s Rajya Sabha nomination as an Independent candidate.

Elections for 11 Rajya Sabha seats in the state are likely to be held in the month of June. The SP, with the party strength in the state legislative Assembly, is poised to win as many as seven Rajya Sabha seats. The BSP is likely to bag two and the BJP one seat on the basis of their respective strength in the state Assembly. On Rajya Sabha slot is poised for keen contest as the Congress does not have the number of its own to win the seat.

“Mr Amar Singh will be the top candidate as an Independent in the biennial Rajya Sabha elections. The SP is not taking him back in the party, and he remains an expelled party leader. Yet, the party will help him return to the Rajya Sabha,” said sources close to SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Incidentally, the SP chief on occasions has said that “Mr Amar Singh dil mein hain, dal mein nahi (he’s in the heart, not the party)”.

Mr Singh has been a regular in the family functions of the SP chief of late. The UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav too has publicly toed his father’s assertions, that Mr Singh is in their hearts, and not in the party.

Mr Singh’s expulsion from the SP had almost coincided with the return in the party fold of its Muslim face and state minister Azam Khan. The political rivalry of Mr Khan and Mr Singh are legendary. Yet, the SP chief has seemingly struck a fine balance by allowing Mr Singh close to him without disturbing the political equations.