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UP, Haryana might see contest for Rajya Sabha berths

Uttar Pradesh and Haryana could see a contest for the Rajya Sabha berths after Independent candidates filed their papers on the last day of filing nominations.

Uttar Pradesh and Haryana could see a contest for the Rajya Sabha berths after Independent candidates filed their papers on the last day of filing nominations.

Preeti Mahapatra, a social worker, filed her papers in UP before the end of the deadline. With this, there are 12 candidates for 11 vacancies that will entail voting.

Media baron Subhash Chandra and lawyer R.K. Anand also filed their nominations from Haryana as Independent candidates. Several BJP MLAs, members of small parties and Independents are said to be backing Ms Mahapatra.

From UP, seven candidates of SP and two of BSP, including national general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal and BJP’s Shiv Pratap Shukla are others who are in the fray.

In the 403-member UP Assembly, the ruling SP has 229 MLAs, BSP 80, BJP 41, Congress 29, besides some smaller parties and Independents. Each candidate requires 37 votes for a win.

Several candidates filed their papers before the deadline ended on Tuesday, including railway minister Suresh Prabhu. In Maharashtra, all the six candidates, including former Union minister P. Chidambaram and Union power minister Piyush Goyal, also filed nomination. The others from the state are NCP’s Praful Patel, BJP’s Vinay Sahasrabuddhe and Vikas Mahatme and Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut.

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