The elections for 15 Rajya Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday witnessed high drama, characterised by rampant cross-voting and legislators switching allegiances. The voting began at 9 am, followed by counting at 5 pm.
Election Results:
In Karnataka, the counting of votes for four Rajya Sabha seats concluded with the Congress winning three seats. Ajay Maken, Nasser Hussain, and GC Chandrashekar emerged victorious for the Congress, while BJP candidate Narayansa Bhandage secured one seat.
Moving to Himachal Pradesh, BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan emerged victorious in the lone Rajya Sabha seat, defeating the ruling Congress candidate, Abhishek Manu Singhvi. Notably, BJP secured the victory through a draw lots after tying with Congress at 34 votes.
In Uttar Pradesh, where polls were conducted for 10 seats, the BJP emerged triumphant by securing all eight seats it contested. Conversely, the Samajwadi Party won two out of three seats it contested.
Out of the total 56 Rajya Sabha seats, 41 members have already secured their positions in the Upper House due to a lack of opposition. BJP President JP Nadda, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradesh, Union IT Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw and former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi are among the 41 candidates who won seats unopposed in the latest round.
Cross Voting In All Three States:
Cross voting, where members of one party vote for another, played a crucial role in Rajya Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Karnataka. These elections saw unexpected outcomes due to political manipulation.
In Himachal Pradesh, despite having only 25 MLAs in the 68-member Assembly, the BJP won the lone Rajya Sabha seat, surprising the Congress. This unexpected win was credited to cross-voting by Congress MLAs and a favourable draw of lots.
Addressing a press conference in the state assembly premises, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said, “They were swearing loyalty to us till morning. Out of nine of them, 6 Congress MLAs cross-voted. They sold their integrity.”
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In Uttar Pradesh, where 10 Rajya Sabha seats were contested, the BJP secured eight seats, while the Samajwadi Party (SP) secured two.
The expectations were that the BJP would win seven and the SP three, but the cross-voting in favour of the BJP has meant that it ended up with eight seats in its kitty.
Reports suggest that seven SP MLAs and one BSP MLA voted for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh.
While the Congress and the INDIA bloc faced setbacks in Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, they managed to secure a consolation victory in Karnataka. Out of the four Rajya Sabha seats in Karnataka, the Congress won three, exceeding the expected two seats.
Meanwhile, the BJP secured the fourth seat, while its coalition partner, Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S), faced defeat, reportedly due to cross-voting in favour of the Congress.
Himachal Pradesh CM Alleged ‘Kidnapping’ Of Five To Six Congress MLAs:
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu alleged on Tuesday that five to six Congress MLAs were "kidnapped" and taken away by the CRPF and the Haryana Police.
The allegation arose shortly after the conclusion of polling for the lone Rajya Sabha seat, amidst concerns within the ruling Congress regarding cross-voting.
The BJP is indulging in hooliganism which is not good for democracy, Sukhu told reporters. Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur is threatening the polling officers by coming to the counting hall time and again, he claimed, as reported by news agency PTI.
In the 68-member state assembly, the Congress has a clear majority with 40 MLAs and the support of three independent MLAs. The opposition BJP has 25 MLAs.
