Elections to 15 Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Himachal Pradesh were held on 27 February. In Karnataka Congress won three out of four seats while Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) won 8 out of 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh.
Tuesday’s election was marred by cross-voting reports from Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh.
Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the outcome of the polls to the Rajya Sabha is likely to have an impact in the politically crucial states.
Uttar Pradesh
The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) won eight out of ten seats in Uttar Pradesh while the Samajwadi Party won two seats in the Rajya Sabha elections held on February 27.
At least seven Samajwadi Party MLA’s have reportedly voted for the BJP, ensuring that the saffron party won eight seats, instead of expected seven in accordance with numbers in the UP house.
Apart from ten seats in Uttar Pradesh, polling was also held for four seats in Congress-ruled Karnataka and one seat in Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh.
Karnataka
In Karnataka, all three Congress candidates Ajay Maken, Dr Syed Naseer Hussain and GC Chandrashekhar won with 47, 46 and 46 votes respectively. Further, BJP candidate Narayana Bandage won while BJP-JD(S) candidate Kupendra Reddy lost.
JD(S) candidate and real estate businessman D Kupendra Reddy lost out on an Upper House berth, falling short by nine votes.
Five candidates were in the fray for the four seats in the elections, including JD(S) contestant D Kupendra Reddy. The elections were marred by cross-voting. While one of the BJP MLAs, S T Somashekar, voted for the Congress’ Maken, the other, A Shivaram Hebbar, abstained.
Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said, “This shows the unity and integrity of Congress. I thank all the MLAs, party workers and the media. I’m very happy to inform you that all Congress candidates have won. I thank all voters, CM and party workers and the AICC President also. I would like to thank Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge.”
Himachal Pradesh
BJP also won the lone Rajya Sabha seat that went into polls from Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday. Harsh Mahajan of BJP was elected as the Rajya Sabha MP, defeating Congress’ Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
Congress candidate Abhishek Singhvi lost the election to BJP’s Harsh Mahajan, on the basis of a draw of lots after a tie between both the candidates with 34 votes each.
Nine MLAs, 6 of Congress and three independents cross voted.
Upon winning Harsh Mahajan said, “This is the victory of BJP, of Narendra Modi, of Amit Shah.”
Himachal Pradesh LoP and former chief minister Jairam Thakur said, “Despite having such a huge majority, Congress lost the Rajya Sabha seat…I congratulate Harsh Mahajan once again…”. Thakur had earlier in the day claimed that Congress government in the state has lost the majority in the assembly and that the party will decide its strategy during debate on the state budget in the assembly.
Congress candidate from Himachal Pradesh, Abhishek Manu Singhvi says, “First of all, I extend heartiest congratulations to Harsh Mahajan (BJP candidate), he has won. He deserves my congratulations. I would like to tell his party – introspect and think. When a 25-member party fields a candidate against a 43-member party, there is just one message — we will shamelessly do that which is not permitted by the law…”
With 40 of 68 seats that it won in the 2022 assembly election, the Congress, with the support of three independent lawmakers, had expected an easy win for its candidate, Abhishek Singhvi against BJP’s Harsh Mahajan. The BJP had only 25 MLAs in the hill state, but has benefitted from cross-voting by at least six Congress leaders and all three independents, according to sources.
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Published: 27 Feb 2024, 09:26 PM IST