CPM to abstain from RS polls

JAIPUR: With two certain Rajya Sabha seats, the state Congress is trying to ensure the Independent candidate in fray, Santosh Bagrodia, makes it through.
Bagrodia, who completed a full term on Congress ticket in the Rajya Sabha, has filed his candidature as an Independent candidate. “We are confident about the seats we are contesting, if we can manage one more seat, there is no harm.Our calculations for victory are secure, now we are watching the developments and will seal the strategy a day ahead of the polls,” a senior leader said.
The confidence in the ruling party gained strength after 10 Independents, out of 13, in the assembly assured their support to it.
The state unit has no qualms about Bagrodia contesting as an Independent despite being a party member, as long as he doesn’t harm the prospect of party candidates. “There is no doubt, he in no way is going to harm the candidature of the two candidates and if he contests as an Independent in the absence of a party ticket,” said a leader.
Meanwhile, three of the five candidates in the fray have appointed their elections agents for the polls.
BJP senior leader Kailashnath Bhatt will be the election agent for Ram Jethmalani, Yogendra Singh Tanwar for V P Singh and Congress chief whip Virendra Beniwal is for Anand Sharma. Ashk Ali Tak and Bagrodia are yet to appoint their agents and can do that by June 16. As votes are being lined up, the hopes of state BSP unit to disturb the balance went awry as the chief election commissioner did not respond to their notice to clear its stand on the merger of six BSP MLAs with Congress.
Sources confirmed the state BSP unit has still not got any response to the notice sent to EC on June 12 and plans to resend it along with filing a writ in the high court to stop the six from voting for the Congress.