BJP MLA cross-votes in UP Rajya Sabha polls

New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh Saturday saw cross-voting by a BJP MLA while another party legislator claimed that she was prevented from voting. BJP MLA Vijay Bahadur Yadav cross voted in favor of a Samajwadi Party candidate. “I voted on the basis of development done by the Chief Minister and I am ready to make any sacrifice,” he said. BJP MLA from Khaga Fatehpur constituency, Krishna Paswan alleged she was prevented from voting while MLA Sangeet Som alleged that there was misbehavior with his party legislators. SP MLA Guddu Pandit alleged that he and his brother received threats. “I and my brother are being given life threats,” Pandit alleged. His brother Mukesh Sharma said that he has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India. “Every thing is recorded,” he said. UP minister and MLA Abhishek Mishra said that party would win all seven seats on which it had fielded its candidates. Peace Party chief Mohammed Ayub, who has four MLAs, said that his party would vote in favor of Congress. “Constitutional action will be taken against those violating the whip,” he said. Former UPPCC chief and MLA from Lucknow Cantt Rita Bahuguna Joshi said former union minister Kapil Sibal would get more than required votes. Senior party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said that party was confident of victory. “We already have 29 MLAs and we are getting support of other parties. BJP, which has only 41 votes, is short of support for the independent candidate backed by it,” he said.