| NEW DELHI, JUNE 14:
Making it clear where its loyalties lie in the ongoing Congress versus Samajwadi Party battle in Uttar Pradesh, the CPI(M) will fully back the SP in the Rajya Sabha elections later this month, party sources said. The CPI(M) has only two MLAs in the UP Assembly but they could play a crucial role in the scramble for votes in the open ballot to fill the 11 RS vacancies from the state. The Samajwadi Party, along with its ally, the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), can win six seats, and the BJP and BSP two each. The support of independents and small parties will be necessary for those eyeing the ‘‘eleventh’’ seat.
The Congress, with just 16 MLAs, cannot hope to win a seat unless it works out an alliance with the RLD at the Centre. Sources in the Congress said the party is still hopeful of a deal wherein Ajit Singh is accommodated in the Union Cabinet and, in turn, supports a Congress candidate for the Rajya Sabha.
But even with the support of the 13 RLD MLAs, the Congress would be short of four votes to get its candidate elected. The Congress was banking on the support of the two CPI(M) MLAs in case it managed a deal with the RLD, with Salman Khursheed tipped to be the candidate. But the CPI(M) has already pledged its support to the SP as the CPI(M) members were elected to the UP Assembly with the SP’s support, sources said. Prakash Karat reiterated this stand when he met Mulayam Singh Yadav in Lucknow earlier this week, they added.
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