A 37-year old businesswoman, with interests in fashion, “perfumery, cosmetics and skin care” and social work has upset the apple cart of septuagenarian politicians in Uttar Pradesh.
A 37-year old businesswoman, with interests in fashion, “perfumery, cosmetics and skin care” and social work has upset the apple cart of septuagenarian politicians in Uttar Pradesh.
Preeti Mahapatra, the independent candidate who has forced an election for the 11 Rajya Sabha seats that would have otherwise been won unopposed in Uttar Pradesh, is now threatening to make inroads into the Samajwadi Party and the Congress. Ms Mahapatra, who is the 12th candidate in the RS elections, is being supported by the BJP and 16 BJP MLAs have proposed her name.
The BJP has only 7 surplus votes to offer her after ensuring the victory of their official candidate Shiv Pratap Shukla.
To win the seat, Ms Mahapatra requires 27 additional votes (to win a candidate needs 34 votes) and she is obviously eyeing the disgruntled elements in other parties.
“I have done my homework seriously before coming here. I have been asking everybody to vote for me on their ‘atma ki awaaz’. You will see on June 11 that legislators cutting across party lines will vote for me. I am grateful that the BJP has officially decided to support me with their surplus votes,” she said.
Rampal Yadav, an expelled SP MLA, is even more confident than Ms Mahapatra about her victory. “Just you wait and watch. There will be many more from SP who will cross vote. Party MLAs who have been treated shabbily in the recent months will join us and also those whose tickets are being denied,” he said.
Her supporters claim she has also got assurance from two BSP MLAs and is also assured support from smaller parties.
If this happens, then the SP could face a jolt — more so because some of its RS candidates have caused considerable heartburn among party MLAs.
The Congress appears to be the weakest link when it comes to legislators cross voting. The party lacks a good floor manager who can keep the flock together and Central leaders are banking heavily on simple mathematics.
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari and SP MP Naresh Agarwal said her nomination had exposed the true face of the BJP, which was encouraging horse trading.
“The Rajya Sabha elections till 2006 had seen intense and blatant horse trading, marked by dinners and foreign jaunts. After this, all parties had mutually decided to ensure unopposed election of candidates as per their strength in the Assembly and this rule was followed for almost a decade. It is the BJP that has broken the rule by supporting an independent,” the Congress MP said.
