The Congress has announced the name of senior advocate Vivek Tankha for the biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh. The All India Congress Committee (AICC) announced his candidature in New Delhi on Saturday, though it would not be easy for the grand old party to register victory in the election for the Upper House of the Parliament.
Election for the three Rajya Sabha seats going to get vacate would be held on June 11. As per the statics in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly it is sure that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would get two seats but the ruling party in the State wishes to grab the third seat also. Till now one seat is being held by Congress.
For getting all three seats the BJP need support of 174 legislators but the existing number of its MlAs in the State Assembly is 165 that is 9 short for snatching the seat from Congress while the Congress needs support of 58 MlAs to make its nominee victorious and its strength in the house is 57 just one short for sending its candidate to the upper house of parliament.
In these circumstances the role of four Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and three independent legislators becomes important. BJP leaders are making efforts to get support of all these seven MlAs though it would require support of two more legislators for grabbing the third seat. In this situation sabotage in Congress could not be ruled out.
Sources from Congress informed that former Union Minister and Chhindwara MP Kamalnath who played important role in getting Tankha nominated from Congress has assured the party leadership of getting support of all three independent MlAs besides getting support of BSP MlAs.
Notification for filling these three seats from the State was issued on May 24 and the nominations for the same started from then only. The last date of filing nomination would be May 31. If necessary, polling would be held on June 11 and results would be announced on June 13.
Chandan Mitra and Anil Dave from BJP and Vijaylaxmi Sadho from Congress are completing their terms.
Anil Dave may get a third term from BJP while there are chances that BJP’s national General Secretary Ram Madhav may be sent to Rajya Sabha in place of Mitra this time.