The nomination of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate Ramji Gautam for the Rajya Sabha elections remained valid on Wednesday, even when four party MLAs claimed their signatures were “forged”.
But the documents submitted by the independent candidate supported by the Samajwadi Party (SP), Prakash Bajaj, were rejected after a scrutiny of the nominations submitted for the November 9 elections for 10 Uttar Pradesh seats that remain vacant.
Bajaj’s nomination has been rejected. Gautam’s papers have proven valid, ”said the Return Officer’s office.
With the rejection of the Bajaj businessman’s nomination, the 10 candidates in the UP fray are expected to win unopposed.
Previously, a controversy arose after the four MLAs sent a request to the Return Officer, saying they had not signed the nomination papers.
The four BSP leaders later went to the SP office to meet with SP President Akhilesh Yadav, sparking a rumor that they might switch sides. They were joined by two more BSP MLAs.
BSP MLA Umashankar Singh alleged that the SP was using the power of money to attract MLAs.
SP spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary said his party was not indulging in the bargain or attracting the BSP MLAs. “There is discontent in the BSP against the party leadership.”
Meanwhile, the four BSP MLA rebels alleged that a high-ranking BSP leader threatened them with dire consequences, insisting that they would not join another party.
.
