The voting for the Uttar Pradesh Rajya Sabha elections will be held tomorrow with the BJP trying to win an extra seat. The contest is between the BJP-led NDA and the Samajwadi Party (SP). While 10 seats are going to the polls, there is a total of eleven candidates - 8 from the BJP and three from the Samajwadi Party. While the victory for seven BJP candidates and two Samajwadi Party candidates is certain, the fight is for the 10th candidate as the BJP fielded one extra candidate. Both the parties are trying to gather the required number for the victory. A candidate needs 37 votes to emerge as the winner.


The Number Game


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In the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, there is a total of 403 seats out of which 4 seats are vacant. Thus, the current strength of the assembly is 399 legislators. For the BJP to secure a victory for their eighth candidate, they require the votes of 9 legislators. The NDA has a total of 288 legislators from BJP+ RLD+ Apna Dal(S)+ Nishad Party+ SBSP+ Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik). However, one legislator from the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) is in jail, reducing the BJP's count to 287 legislators. It is being speculated that BSP MP Ritesh Pandey, who recently joined the BJP, may bring his father Rakesh Pandey's vote to the BJP. Rakesh Pandey is a Samajwadi Party (SP) legislator. Therefore, the BJP needs the votes of 8 more MLAs.


On the other hand, for the Samajwadi Party to secure a win for their third candidate, they need just three votes. The SP and Congress together have a total of 110 legislators. Among them, two SP legislators, Ramakant Yadav and Irfan Solanki, are in jail. Thus, the SP requires the votes of 3 more legislators. If SP legislator Rakesh Pandey votes for the BJP candidate, then they will need an additional 4 votes. Cross-voting by the MLAs will play a crucial role in deciding the 10th winner as a victory for both parties without cross-voting will be challenging.


NDA:
1. BJP- 252
2. Apna Dal (S)- 13
3. Nishad Party- 6
4. SBSP- 6
5. Jansatta Dal- 2
6. RLD- 9


INDIA:
1. Samajwadi Party- 108
2. Congress- 2


Others-
1. BSP- 1
2. Vacant- 4