Rajya Sabha elections: 5 things to know about BSP MLA Anil Singh who voted for BJP

NEW DELHI: BSP's hope of getting its candidate elected to the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh suffered a jolt as one of its MLAs has voted for the BJP in the high stake contest. BSP legislator Anil Singh told the media outside UP assembly that he voted in favour of BJP candidate in Rajya Sabha elections. "I have voted for the BJP but don't know about others," Singh said. 5 things to know about BSP MLA Anil Singh

• Anil Singh is a BSP from Purwa Assembly constituency of Unnao district in Uttar Pradesh.
• He defeated BJP's Uttam Singh by 26483 votes in 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
• Anil Singh is a social activist and runs several businesses including in Lucknow and Noida.
• He belongs to the Kshatriya community and is inclined towards the BJP.
• Anii Singh was elected for the first time for Uttar Pradesh assembly.

In order to ensure a straight win in the Rajya Sabha elections from Uttar Pradesh, a candidate has to get 37 votes. The BJP has 324 MLAs in the state assembly and is assured of at least eight seats. The saffron party will have 28 surplus votes and hope to gain from dissension in rival parties to get his ninth candidate into the Upper House from UP. The BSP has 19 MLAs in the 403-member Assembly and is short of 18 first preference votes. The SP, which has 47 MLAs in the House, can transfer 10 surplus votes to the BSP taking the number of first preference votes for the BSP candidate to 29. Now, the seven votes of the Congress and one of RLD can help the BSP candidate reach the magic figure of 37 votes. Former SP leader Naresh Aggarwal, who defected to BJP, has already announced that the vote of his son Nitin Agarwal will go to BJP. BSP MLA Mukhtar Ansari and SP MLA Hari Om Yadav on Thursday withdrew their petitions seeking permission to allow them to cast votes. Now both the jailed MLAs would not be able to cast their votes in the Rajya Sabha elections, making equation tougher for SP and BSP.