SP faces setback amid Rajya Sabha Elections 2024 as chief whip Manoj Kumar Pandey resigns

In a significant setback for the Samajwadi Party (SP) amidst the ongoing Rajya Sabha Elections 2024, the party's Chief Whip and MLA from Unchahar, Manoj Kumar Pandey, tendered his resignation on Tuesday. Pandey, who also served as the party’s spokesperson, formally submitted his resignation letter to SP National President Akhilesh Yadav, signaling a shakeup within the party's ranks just as crucial elections unfold.

The resignation comes at a critical juncture as elections for 15 Rajya Sabha seats across Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Himachal Pradesh are underway. In Uttar Pradesh, where the SP and BJP are in a head-to-head contest, Pandey's departure adds a layer of complexity to the already intense political landscape.

As the voting process commenced at 9 am in the upper house, with counting scheduled to begin at 5 pm, all eyes are on Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP has nominated eight candidates, and the SP has put forward three for the ten Rajya Sabha seats. Despite the BJP's numerical advantage, the candidacy of Sanjay Seth has injected uncertainty into the race for one seat, potentially leading to a competitive contest.

The dynamics are equally charged in other states like Karnataka, where the Congress has relocated all its MLAs to a hotel ahead of the biennial election to fill four vacancies. With the possibility of cross-voting looming large, concerns about maintaining party discipline are paramount.

In Himachal Pradesh, the Congress' issuance of a whip directing all its MLAs to vote for the party's candidate, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, has sparked controversy, with the BJP asserting the legislators' right to vote based on their discretion.

Of the 56 Rajya Sabha seats up for grabs in this round of elections, 41 members have effectively secured their positions in the upper house, setting the stage for a fiercely contested battle for the remaining seats.