Rajya Sabha polls: Manoj Pandey resigns as SP chief whip
Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA and leader Manoj Kumar Pandey on Tuesday resigned from the post of party chief whip amid the voting for 10 Rajya Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. On Tuesday morning, Pandey met the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s leader and Uttar Pradesh Transport Minister Dayashankar Singh. Addressing the media before the meeting, he said, "I have requested the party chief to accept my resignation from the post of chief whip."
Why does this story matter?
The move came on the day 15 Rajya Sabha seats went to polls in three states, amid fears of cross-voting. In UP, the two largest parties, the BJP and the SP, seemed to have enough MLAs to elect seven and three Rajya Sabha MPs, respectively. However, the BJP forced a contest at the last moment by fielding its eighth candidate, necessitating an election. The support from MLAs is crucial for both sides to secure the required number of votes.
Pandey skipped meeting called by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav
Pandey's resignation comes a day after he and seven other MLAs skipped the meeting called by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav on the Rajya Sabha elections. "You had appointed me as chief whip of the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh Assembly. I am resigning as the chief whip. Kindly accept my resignation," Pandey wrote in a letter to Yadav. Pandey is an MLA from the Unchahar constituency in Raebareli. He was a cabinet minister in the previous Akhilesh Yadav government.
Watch: Pandey's statement to the media
BJP trying to poach SP leaders: MLA
Ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections, SP MLA Zahid Beg expressed confidence that his party would win three seats in the Upper House. "The BJP is trying to poach our leaders, and they are spending huge money for this. However, I am confident that our leaders won't accept the money," he said. Reacting to Pandey's resignation as the chief whip he said it is a "different issue." He added that Pandey is not "someone who would accept money from anyone."
Pandey showing faith in PM Modi's leadership: BJP leader
Meanwhile, in a statement to ANI, the BJP's Singh said, "Manoj Pandey has always been a supporter of Sanatana Dharma. He has always been giving statements regarding the same." "He wanted everyone to visit Ayodhya and have a darshan. This is the reason he is showing faith in PM Narendra Modi's leadership and is taking such a decision," added the state transport minister.
