The BJP and the Congress had fancied chances as long as the SP had fielded only five candidates. With Ambani filing his papers today, the SP leadership has exacted a measure of revenge, especially on the Congress which lacks the numbers to get its own candidate elected.

Elsewhere, Home Minister Shivraj Patil, RS deputy chairperson Najma Heptulla, BJP chief Venkaiah Naidu and ace actress Jaya Bachchan also filed their papers.

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The focus, however, was Mulayam’s masterstroke. He has been fuming since Rahul Gandhi blamed his government for the law-and-order situation in the state, even though SP supports the Congress-led Government at the Centre and the Congress officially extends support to him in UP.

The move also hit the BJP. The party lacks the numbers to ensure victory for its three nominees, Murli Manohar Joshi, Arun Shourie and industrialist Lalit Suri. Ambani’s candidature forced the BJP to field Suri as an independent.

The Congress is still firm on fielding a candidate but the real picture will emerge after expiry of the nomination deadline on Thursday. “We will be fielding our candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections,” Pramod Tiwari, the Congress legislature party leader told Express on phone from New Delhi.

Tiwari and Khursheed were expected to be the Congress candidates when SP had announced five candidates but calculations have changed with Ambani’s entry. The SP on its part is trying to give the impression that it is doing a service to the state by convincing Ambani to contest. “We had made a request to Anilji to let the SP get the honour of electing him for the RS and he agreed,” said Amar Singh.