BJP strategists are eyeing to secure a two-thirds majority in the Upper House of UP

Lucknow: Along with the Upper House of Parliament, the election bugle has also been blown for the vacant seats of the Upper House of the UP legislature.

The BJP, which secured a thumping majority in the recently concluded assembly elections, is set to gain an edge in the elections to the thirteen seats of the Legislative Council. After these elections, where the BJP will get more than a two-thirds majority in the Upper House, the challenge will remain before the opposition parties to retain their representation.

Among the 13 members of the UP Legislative Council, whose term is going to end on July 6, CM Yogi Adityanath has resigned after being elected as a member of the Legislative Assembly. Out of these thirteen seats, 6 are with the SP, 3 each with the BJP and BSP, and one seat with the Congress. In the elections to be held on June 20 for these vacant seats, a vote of 32 MLAs will be required per seat. The BJP-led alliance of 273 members will easily win 8 seats. Even after this, an additional 17 votes will be left. While the 125-member SP-Alliance can easily get 3 seats, an additional three votes will be required to get the fourth seat.

There are also apprehensions about cross-voting for the SP, which is battling internal discontent. However, with the support of two MLAs of the Raja Bhaiya-led Jansatta Dal, the ruling alliance will definitely explore the chances of winning another seat through second preference. It is worth noting that in the elections for the 36 seats in the local authorities’ constituencies of the Legislative Council held last month, the BJP had won the maximum number of 33 seats. With which the saffron party’s member strength in the Upper House has crossed the 66 mark. BJP-led alliance partners Ashish Patel of Apna Dal and Sanjay Nishad of Nishad Party have also secured MLC seats.