BSP declares 6 candidates for Rajya Sabha polls in UP

Lucknow, Nov 6 (UNI) Ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) today announced the names of its six candidates, who would contest the biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha slated on November 21.

BSP supremo and Chief Minister Mayawati, announcing the names here, said while sitting RS member Veer Singh has been given the second chance, the other candidates are Avtar Singh Karimpuri, member of state legislative council Raja Ram, Brijlala Khabari, former Congress union minister Akhilesh Das and Lok Sabha member from Unnao Brijesh Pathak.

All the six candidates would file their nominations tomorrow.

While Veer Singh, the BSP in-charge of Maharastra, Raja Ram and Brijlal Khabari, party in-charge of Jharkhand are Scheduled Caste, Mr Avtar Singh Karimpuri is the in-charge of Punjab's party unit and a Sikh.

Mr Akhilesh Das, who had resigned from the Rajya Sabha as Congress member is from the Vaish community, Ms Mayawati said adding that he would be the party candidate from Lucknow Lok Sabha seat also.

The sixth candidate Brajesh Pathak is from Brahmin community and presently working to unite the Brahmins in UP, Delhi and Uttarakhand.

Ms Mayawti also said that from Unnao Lok Sabha seat, the party would field a Brahmin candidate and not Mr Pathak.

It might be mentioned that BSP candidate Rajaram was in mid of controversy when media projected him as the successor of Ms Mayawati after a rally in Lucknow, when the BSP president hinted that she had selected her successor.

Rajaram, who was the lone vice-president of the BSP was shown the doors by Ms Mayawati immediately as the BSP constitution says that after the president, the vice-president of the BSP would take the charge of the party. Rajaram is presently the party's in-charge of Madhya Pradesh and his term of the MLC would expire within a couple of months.

UNI MB JAS SLD KN1515