UP MLC poll: MLA's rationale vs BJP's call for conscience vote

LUCKNOW: Even as the BJP's 41 MLAs went into a huddle 15 hours before polling begins for MLC election at 9am, those who contacted the BJP and those who were contacted by the BJP in the last two weeks have one last chance until Friday morning to decide between 'conscience' and 'rationale'. Charges of horse-trading and BJP leaders claim that its second candidate would win if only 50 per cent of those who have assured to vote for BJP actually vote notwithstanding.
However, BJP leaders expect vote on conscience from MLAs across party lines in support of party's second candidate Dayashanker Singh. No wonder, MLAs switching loyalty is not essential part of conscience in politics.
Leader of the BJP in the House Suresh Khanna said that MLAs across the party line are mesmerized by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's personality and work and are willing to support the BJP on their own. Party MLAs had been asked to reach the Vidhan Bhawan at 8am, he further said.
Reason, BJP leaders say is over 8 months of good governance under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre which has given confidence to the BJP of forming government even in UP in 2017 assembly election.
However, going by the developments and reports of several MLAs from other parties meeting BJP leaders for the past several days, it's the question of rationale rather than conscience that had been more troubling for both the BJP leaders who matter and can make commitments and MLAs who are willing to switch loyalty.
The BJP, which has 10 extra votes to spare decided to field another candidate in bid to utilize its extra votes, state BJP chief Laxmikant Bajpayi had said after the BJP's Laxmanacharya and Dayashanker Singh had filed their nomination papers. However, a win of the second BJP candidate would not only send a strong political message, it would further put pressure on the Bahujan Samaj Party, as the win would come likely at the cost of BSP's third candidate after Congress announced support to Samajwadi Party's 8th candidate. Congress has 28 MLAs while Samajwadi Party with 16 extra votes is short of only 15 votes.
Despite Rashtriya Lok Dal, which has 8 MLAs, announcing support to BSP, the latter with its own 18 extra votes, will still be short of five votes. A complete rout in the Lok Sabha election and fear of increase in rebels staring on its face, for the BJP, losing its third candidate could only encourage other party leaders to dissent openly.
It could be a heavy a price for the party to pay when its Rajya Sabha member Jugul Kishore has already gone public against party chief Mayawati and has begun meeting senior BJP leaders quite frequently for the past over a week. BJP's UP in charge Om Mathur also admitted meeting Jugul Kishore at least twice. Jugul Kishore is also believed to have met Mathur in Lucknow with around a dozen aspiring BSP rebels.
The BJP, on the other hand, is also banking on its leaders like ex-top cop Brij Lal, who before joining BJP on Wednesday was also considered close to Maya government and Divya Misra, who joined BJP in July, 2014. Divya is the cousin sister of BSP general secretary SC Misra. Similarly, BJP is also banking leaders like Siddharthanagar MP Jagdambika Pal, whose major time in politics has been as senior Congress leader, to browse chances in his old party.
Last but not the least, BJP's second MLC candidate, Dayashanker Singh himself is relying on his association with leaders from other parties who go back to university days and leaders of same caste.
Still, chance of BJP's second candidate is more difficult than any of the above parties. With 10 extra party votes, the BJP is still short of around 21 votes. No wonder, the requirement of such a huge number is not allowing any of the BJP leaders to look confident. That's where the question of rationale has come into play.
Despite, several MLAs expressing desire to switch loyalty in favour of Dayashanker Singh, the BJP leaders both in the state and Centre are not in a position to rationalise gain and loss and subsequently give words to any of them barring of course to a few like Jugul Kishore, a BJP leader said and added it would also be difficult for the aspiring rebels to rationalise switching loyalty san any strong assurance. Assembly elections after all are good over two years away!
Will leaders like Jugul Kishore and a few others be able to manage the show for the BJP?