Lucknow, June 8
Two former Samajwadi Party MPs, including cine star Jaya Bachchan were today elected to the Rajya Sabha unopposed. Principal Secretary (Legislative Assembly) and Returning Officer Rajendra Prasad Pandey announced their election.
Amir Alam Khan is the other SP candidate. He represented Kairana in Muzzafarnagar district of west Uttar Pradesh in the Lok Sabha twice.
However, Ms Bachchan's certificate of election was received by Uttar Pradesh Revenue Minister Ambika Chaudhary in her absence, while Mr Khan personally received his certificate.
As there were only two candidates in the fray for as many seats, they were declared elected unopposed. Today was also the last date of withdrawing nominations.
The Opposition, unable to find a consensus candidate, decided against fielding anyone. The main Opposition, the BJP and the Congress, had already expressed their unwillingness to contest the two seats.
The BSP was not keen to fight the bypolls as the winning candidate was to be decided by majority vote separately for the two seats.
State BJP president Keshri Nath Tripathi had said as the winners would be decided separately by majority vote of the Assembly, hence the party was not interested in contesting the bypolls.
''Even a joint-opposition candidate will not be able to win as the SP-led coalition has the majority in the House,'' he added.
Congress Legislature Party leader Pramod Tiwari had already announced the party would not contest bypolls to the Upper House.
This is Ms Bachchan's second entry to the Rajya Sabha after 2004.
She had to resign the seat in March following the raging office-of-profit controversy. Mr Khan will make his maiden entry. — UNI
