BJP Has A Chance To Improve Its Tally In Uttar Pradesh If Six Newly Elected INDIA Bloc MPs Lose Membership

Lucknow: Having faced a rout in the just concluded Lok Sabha elections, ruling BJP can add couple of seats in Uttar Pradesh to its tally if seven newly elected I.N.D.I.A bloc MPs are convicted on criminal charges. The MPs are embroiled in serious criminal cases that could result in jail terms exceeding two years, potentially jeopardizing their parliamentary memberships.

Among these MPs, six are from the INDIA bloc, while the seventh is Chandrashekhar Azad, founder of the Azad Samaj Party, who secured victory in the Nagina seat.

BJP was runners up on all the seven Lok Sabha seats and lost couple of them by a margin of under 40,000 votes. If seats fall vacant following conviction of newly elected MPs, BJP can cover lost ground and may end up adding couple of seats to its tally.

The charges against these MPs include money laundering, intimidation, and violations of the Gangster Act, all carrying the potential for significant prison sentences.

Afzal Ansari: Elected from Ghazipur, Ansari has already been convicted and sentenced to four years under the Gangster Act, related to the 2005 killing of BJP MLA Krishna Nand Rai. Initially disqualified as an MP following a special court judgment on April 29, 2023, Ansari was granted bail by the Allahabad High Court on July 24, 2023, though his conviction was not stayed. His parliamentary membership was restored after the Supreme Court stayed his conviction, allowing him to contest the Lok Sabha election.

Babu Singh Kushwaha:  After a decade-long political exile, Kushwaha won the Jaunpur seat. He faces multiple charges linked to the NRHM scam during the Mayawati regime, with charges framed in eight of the 25 cases against him, including cheating, forgery, and illegal payments related to elections. Previously inducted into BJP, he was expelled due to opposition from party leaders over the corruption charges.

Dharmendra Yadav:  A cousin of Akhilesh Yadav, Dharmendra won the Azamgarh seat but faces four pending cases. A conviction exceeding two years could cost him his parliamentary membership.

Rambhual Nishad:  Nishad, who defeated BJP's Maneka Gandhi to win the Sultanpur seat, is embroiled in eight cases, including one under the Gangster Act. A potential conviction could impact his Lok Sabha membership.

Virendra Singh:  Singh, who defeated former minister Mahendra Nath Pandey in Chandauli, faces multiple criminal charges, posing a significant threat to his parliamentary tenure.

Imran Masood:  Representing Congress, Masood won the Saharanpur seat. He faces eight cases, including one related to money laundering, with charges framed in two cases. Notably, during the 2014 election, his controversial "tukde-tukde" statement made headlines when he threatened to kill Modi, asserting it was UP, not Gujarat.

Chandrashekhar Azad: Azad, who won the reserved Nagina seat, has over 30 cases against him. Any conviction exceeding two years could severely impact his political career.

Historically, many political leaders have lost their parliamentary memberships following convictions in criminal cases, including Azam Khan, his son Abdullah Azam, Khabbu Tiwari, Vikram Saini, Ram Dular Gond, Kuldeep Sengar, and Ashok Chandel. The current legal battles of these newly elected MPs could similarly lead to significant political repercussions.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, which boasts 80 parliamentary seats, the NDA won a total of 36 seats, with the BJP securing 33 seats alone. The INDIA bloc, consisting of the Samajwadi Party and Congress, claimed 43 seats.