Lucknow, Feb. 29 -- In a calculated political manoeuver, the Bharatiya Janata Party has made significant strides in consolidating its influence in six Lok Sabha constituencies of Uttar Pradesh, notably Amethi and Rae Bareli, during the recent Rajya Sabha polls where defections bolstered the ruling party's hold, securing eight out of 10 seats.
The Samajwadi Party MLAs who cross-voted in favour of BJP belong to Amethi, Rae Bareli, Azamgarh, Ayodhya, Ambedkar Nagar and Jalaun.
The BJP orchestrated an unexpected twist by securing the support of sitting SP MLAs from the region, most notably SP chief whip Manoj Pandey of Unchahar in Rae Bareli, who crossed party lines to vote for BJP candidates. This paradigm shift in allegiance suggests Pandey...