Rajya Sabha: In Late Night Drama, BJP Gains in Maha, Cong Embarrassed in Haryana
Rajya Sabha Election 2022 polls result
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After high-octane drama and overnight counting of votes for the Rajya Sabha elections in Haryana and Maharashtra on Friday, 10 June, the BJP made big gains in both the states.
The results for Rajasthan and Karnataka were also delayed, but were declared earlier on Friday evening. Here's how the parties fared in each state:
Maharashtra: Out of 6 seats in Congress-Shiv Sena-NCP ruled Maharashtra, the BJP secured three.
Haryana: The BJP won one of the two seats, while the other was bagged by an independent candidate it supports.
Rajasthan: The Congress registered a big win with three of the four Rajya Sabha seats, while the BJP could bag only one.
Karnataka: The BJP put up an impressive show, winning three seats, while the Congress could only win just one.
The counting, which was scheduled to begin at 5 pm for the Rajya Sabha elections in four states, was delayed in Maharashtra and Haryana as a delegations of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress met the Election Commission (EC) in Delhi over an alleged violations of protocol in the states.
While Congress' Randeep Surjewala, Mukul Wasnik, Pramod Tewari won in Rajasthan, the BJP now has Ghanshyam Tiwari as the RS face from the state
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Jaggesh and Lehar Singh Siroya won from the BJP in Karnataka, while Jairam Ramesh won from the Congress
41 candidates from 11 states did not face any opposition and were thus elected unopposed ahead of the polls
Congress's Ajay Maken Loses in Haryana
Of the two seats being contested in Haryana in the elections on Friday, one was won by the BJP and the other by Kartikeya Sharma, the media baron and Independent candidate it backed.
Congress's Ajay Maken, for whom the party initially claimed a victory, lost.
Piyush Goyal, Sanjay Raut Win in Maharashtra
Out of 6 seats in Maharashtra, BJP's Piyush Goyal, Anil Bonde, and Dhananjay Mahadik won 1 seat each. From the Maha Vikas Aghadi, Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut, Congress' Imran Pratapgarhi and NCP's Praful Patel won one seat each.
Maha Vikas Aghadi Writes to EC
Maha Vikas Aghadi writes to the EC demanding the cancellation of the vote of BJP MLA Sudhir Mungantiwar & independent MLA Ravi Rana for "violating provisions of conduct of election rules as well as Commission's settled view ordered in the Ahmed Patel 2017 case."
'Defeat of Those Who Wanted To Bulldoze Democracy': Surjewala
"This is the defeat of those powers who wanted to buy Rajasthan's self-respect in vote market, disrupt current state government, run a bulldozer on democracy... money and muscle power, income tax, ED, black money lost," Randeep Singh Surjewala, who won a seat from Rajasthan in the polls, was quoted as saying.
'Victory of Team Congress': Jairam Ramesh
"This is not my victory. It is a victory for Team Congress. Entire Congress party, PCC chief DK Shivakumar, CLP leader Siddaramaiah, Chief Whips, all MLAs, everybody voted. Not a single invalid vote, it's really a victory for teamwork. It's Team Congress that has won," said Jairam Ramesh.
"My young colleague Mansoor Ali Khan deserves full credit for his fighting spirit. He has exposed the link between JD(S) & BJP. The JD(S) is the B team of the BJP and Mansoor Ali Khan has proved that today," he said, ANI reported.
Maharashtra Congress Chief Nana Patole Writes to EC
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole writes to the Election Commission of India demanding the vote cancellation of BJP MLA Sudhir Mungantiwar and independent MLA Ravi Rana for "violating the provisions of conduct of election rules," ANI reported.
'People of Karnataka Have Given Me the 2nd Opportunity To Serve Them': FM
"I thank the blessings that BS Yediyurappa (former CM) has always extended to me. I thank every MLA & through them, the people of Karnataka for having given me the second opportunity to serve them. I thank the BJP Karnataka unit & every worker," BJP candidate Nirmala Sitharaman said.
BJP Candidates Got More Votes Than the Allotted Ones: CT Ravi
"BJP's candidates for Rajya Sabha elections from Karnataka - FM Nirmala Sitharaman, actor-politician Jaggesh & MLC Lehar Singh Siroya have won. They got more votes than the allotted ones, people from the other party helped us," said BJP National General Secretary CT Ravi.
BJP Wins 3 Seats in Karnataka, Congress Wins 1
BJP won three seats in Karnataka, while the Congress party managed to win one. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Jaggesh and Lehar Singh Siroya won from the BJP in Karnataka, while Jairam Ramesh won from the Congress. HD Deve Gowda's Janata Dal (Secular) did not win a single seat.
'Victory for Democracy': Tweets Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took to Twitter to congratulate the three newly elected MPs.
"Congress' victory in three Rajya Sabha seats in Rajasthan is a victory for democracy. I congratulate all the three newly elected MPs Shri Pramod Tiwari, Shri Mukul Wasnik and Shri Randeep Surjewala. I am sure that all the three MPs will be able to strongly advocate the rights of Rajasthan in Delhi."
"It was clear from the beginning that the Congress had the required majority for all three seats. But BJP tried horse trading by fielding an independent. The solidarity of our MLAs has given a befitting reply to this effort. The BJP will face a similar defeat in the 2023 assembly elections as well."
Congress Wins 3 Seats in Rajasthan, 1 Goes to BJP
The Congress party won three seats in Rajasthan, while the BJP managed to win one seat. Randeep Surjewala got 43 votes, Mukul Wasnik got 42, while Pramod Tewari got 41 votes. BJP’s Ghanshyam Tiwari won, while media baron Subash Chandra, who was backed by the BJP, lost.
Counting Will Begin After Permission From ECI: Eknath Shinde
"Permission is required from the Election Commission of India, then only will the counting begin," Shiv Sena Minister Eknath Shinde said on the delay in counting for RS polls.
Congress Delegation Meets Election Commission in Delhi
A delegation of the Congress met the Election Commission in Delhi over alleged violation of protocol by the BJP in Karnataka.
Counting of Votes on Hold in Haryana After BJP's Complaint
The counting of votes in currently on hold in Haryana as a BJP delegation met officials of the Election Commission (EC), demanding that "this election be declared null and void on the basis of broken rules of secrecy in voting."
Cong Candidate Ajay Maken Says BJP Tried to Stall Counting in Haryana
Congress candidate Ajay Maken said that the BJP was resorting to "cheap" politics by allegedly stalling the counting of votes in Haryana.
He also added that the Returning Officer rejected the BJP's objections.
After BJP, Cong Likely to Meet EC Officials
After a BJP delegation met officials of the Election Commission (EC), a delegation of the Congress is also likely to conduct a meeting with the EC around 6:15 pm over charges of "unfair" polling, The Indian Express reported.
BJP Delegation Calls for Elections in Some Seats To Be Considered 'Null & Void'
Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that a delegation of the BJP met officials from the Election Commission (EC) to register complaints regarding elections in Maharashtra and Haryana.
"Our party has submitted complaints in specific states as well. We have asked that this election be declared null and void on the basis of broken rules of secrecy in voting," he said.
BJP Delegation Reaches EC Office
A BJP delegation comprising Union Ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Jitendra Singh reached the office of the Election Commission (EC) in Delhi.
Congress Candidate Ajay Maken Registers Complaint Against Independent, BJP
Congress candidate Ajay Maken registered a complaint with the Election Commission (EC), alleging obstructions created by Independent Haryana candidate Kartikeya Sharma and the BJP.
He also urged the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) to declare the result without any delay.
Shiv Sena Leader Sanjay Raut Confident of MVA's Win
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut expressed confidence that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) would win four Rajya Sabha seats in Maharashtra.
Raut, who is also one of the candidates in the fray, said that an atmosphere was being created to show that the contest would be tough.
Counting of Votes Likely To Be Delayed After Haryana Candidate's Complaint
The counting of votes, which was scheduled to begin at 5 pm, will likely be delayed after a Haryana Independent candidate named Kartikeya Sharma called for the disqualification of two Congress MLAs, Kiran Choudhury and BB Batra, alleging that they showed their votes to persons "other than their designated party observer".
A delegation of the BJP led by Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will meet Election Commission (EC) officials at 5:30 regarding the matter.
Confident of BJP's Win: Haryana CM Khattar
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that he is confident of a win for the BJP in the state.
"We are confident that BJP candidates will win on both the seats. Some Congress MLAs' votes were dismissed as they violated the rules," he said.
Haryana Independent Candidate Calls for 2 Congress MLAs to be Disqualified
Haryana Independent candidate Kartikeya Sharma wrote to the Election Commission (EC) calling for the disqualification of two Congress MLAs, Kiran Choudhury and BB Batra, alleging that they showed their votes to persons "other than their designated party observer", The Indian Express reported.
EC officials are probing the issue and will take a decision after polling ends.
In Maharashtra, 285 MLAs Cast Votes Till 3:30 pm
In Maharashtra, 285 MLAs cast their votes in the Rajya Sabha elections till 3:30pm, reported ANI.
Bombay HC Refuses Permission to Nawab Malik To Vote in RS Polls
Hours after a single bench of the Bombay High Court on Friday rejected Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik's plea seeking temporary release from jail to enable him to cast his vote in the Rajya Sabha elections, another bench of the high court refused to entertain his petition.
A single bench presided over by Justice Bharati Dangre refused an immediate hearing to Malik saying there was no question of sending him for casting his vote with a police escort when permission for the same had been refused by the special court.
In Maharashtra, BJP Asks for 3 MVA Votes To Be Declared Invalid
The BJP has raised objections against three votes of Maha Vikas Adhadi – Yashomati Thakur of INC, Jitendra Awhad of NCP, and Suhas Kande of Shiv Sena – and has asked for them to be declared invalid.
The objection was reportedly raised because two MLAs gave their ballot papers to the polling agents of their parties which is a violation of rules. The voters can only show their ballots to their agents and not hand them over.
"All four MVA candidates will get elected. BJP knows this and that is why they are trying to create confusion," Congress leader Yashomati Thakur was quoted as saying by ANI.
89 of 90 Haryana MLAs Have Voted: Reports
89 out of 90 the MLAs in Haryana cast their votes by 1:30 pm, as per reports.
Independent MLA from Meham Balraj Kundu has abstained from voting so far.
Rajasthan BJP MLA Accused of Voting for Cong
Rajasthan BJP MLA Shobha Rani Kushwaha was accused of voting for the Congress, as per reports. BJP-backed independent candidate Subhash Chandra has demanded that her vote be disqualified since it was held by the poll observer.
260 MLAs Cast Votes Till 1 pm in Maharashtra
In Maharashtra, 260 MLAs cast their votes in the Rajya Sabha elections till 1 pm, as per ANI.
Who Can Stand for RS Elections?
The Constitution permits a maximum of 250 members in the Upper House, out of which 238 are elected.
In order to be eligible for Rajya Sabha elections, the candidate "should be a citizen of India above 30 years of age and possessing such other qualifications as may be prescribed by law of Parliament," as per the website of the Upper House.
In addition to elected members, there are 12 members nominated by the President of India from amongst persons having special knowledge or practical experience in literature, science, art, and social service.
Congress is BJP's 'B' Team: Kumaraswamy
After a leader of his party cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha polls, JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy alleged that the Congress was the BJP's 'B' team.
"I had said that Srinivasa Gowda will vote for Congress. SR Srinivas also didn't vote for JD(S). Congress has shown its true face today. Congress is the 'B' team of the BJP. They're the main culprit for rise of BJP in the country," he told reporters.
This comes after JD(S) leader K Srinivasa Gowda said that he had voted for the Congress.
In Haryana, 3 Fight for 2 RS Seats
In Haryana, there are three candidates for the two Rajya Sabha seats – BJP's Krishan Lal Panwar, Congress's Ajay Maken, and independent MLA Kartikeya Sharma, who is the son of former Union minister Venod Sharma.
"I'll not vote for Kartikeya Sharma or any other candidate and remain 'absent' today. I'll continue to stand with the people of Haryana. There is a 'Mandi' for buying and selling for MLAs here. I got many offers but no one can buy me or threaten me," Balraj Kundu, an independent MLA, was quoted as saying by ANI.
'I've Voted for Cong Because I Love it': JD(S) Leader
"I have voted for the Congress because I love it," Karnataka JD(S) leader K Srinivasa Gowda was quoted as saying by ANI.
180 MLAs Cast Votes Till 11:37 am
A total of 180 MLAs cast their votes till 11:37am in the Rajya Sabha elections, as per ANI.
HC Denies Nawab Malik's Plea Seeking Permission To Vote
The Bombay High Court upheld the Thursday decision of a special PMLA court, denying permission to Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik to vote.
The court said that this petition is wrong and asked him to approach with the amended application before an appropriate bench.
Malik is in judicial custody in connection with a money laundering case.
Nawab Malik Approaches Bombay HC for Permission To Vote
Maharashtra Minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik has approached the Bombay High Court for permission to vote in the Rajya Sabha elections.
On Thursday, a special PMLA court had dismissed the petitions of former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik, who had sought to vote in the polls.
2 Cong MLAs Won't Support Party in RS Polls, an Independent Alleges
An independent MLA from Haryana has alleged that Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi is not going to support his party in the polls today.
"Kuldeep Bishnoi is upset with Congress, he is not going to vote for them. One more MLA from Congress is also not going to vote for the party but I will not take the name. All the 6 independent MLAs have voted for BJP," Randhir Golan was quoted as saying by ANI.
Karnataka BJP Calls for Party Meet Amid RS Polls
The Karnataka BJP has called for a legislative party meet, as polling for five Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka continues.
157 of 224 Karnataka MLAs Have Cast Their Vote So Far
A total of 157 out of the 224 members in the Karnataka Assembly have cast their vote so far.
KS Eshwarappa, Accused in Contractor Suicide Case, Casts Vote
Former Karnataka Minister KS Eshwarappa cast his vote in the RS polls. Eshwarappa had been accused in the suicide case of a BJP contractor in April, and had subsequently resigned amid protests.
Ex Karnataka CM Yediyurappa Casts Vote
Former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa cast his vote in the Rajya Sabha polls.
Haryana CM ML Khattar Casts Vote
Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar cast his vote in the Rajya Sabha elections.
"Participated in the festival of democracy by voting for the Rajya Sabha elections. I am sure that the representatives sent by us to the Upper House of Parliament will play an important role in service to the nation and policy making," he said on Twitter.
'Ajay Maken Will Win': Deepender Hooda
Haryana Congress leader Deepender Hooda said that the party's Ajay Maken will win the Rajya Sabha elections from the state.
"Ajay Maken will win in this Rajya Sabha election. Kuldeep Bishnoi is a Congress MLA, I believe he has voted for Congress," he was quoted as saying by ANI.
Karnataka To See Tough Contest, 6 Candidates in the Fray for 5 Seats
Six candidates are in the fray in the Rajya Sabha elections from Karnataka, necessitating a contest.
The six candidates in the fray for the Rajya Sabha polls from the state are – Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, actor-politician Jaggesh and outgoing MLC Lehar Singh Siroya from the BJP, former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh and state general secretary Mansoor Ali Khan from the Congress, and former MP D Kupendra Reddy from the JD(S).
Despite not having the adequate number of votes to win the fourth seat from the state Assembly, all the three political parties – BJP, Congress and JD(S) – have fielded candidates for the seat, forcing an election.
Sitharaman and Ramesh are seeking re-election to the Upper House of Parliament for a consecutive term from the state.
A candidate needs the support of 45 MLAs to win and based on their strength in the Legislative Assembly, the BJP can win two seats and the Congress one.
After getting two Rajya Sabha candidates (Sitharaman and Jaggesh) elected on its own strength in the Assembly, the BJP will be left with an additional 32 MLA votes. The Congress will be left with 25 MLA votes after electing Jairam Ramesh, while the JD(S) has only 32 MLAs, which is not sufficient to win a seat.
The fight for the fourth seat will see a direct contest between Siroya (BJP), Khan (Congress) and Reddy (JDS). While Siroya and Reddy are short of votes from 13 MLAs each, Khan will need 20.
Special Observers Appointed, Polls to be Videographed
In light of allegations regarding efforts at horse-trading, the Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, indicated on Thursday that special observers have been appointed to oversee the poll process which will be videographed.
'I Think Siddaramaiah Will Also Vote for BJP': Karnataka Minister
Karnataka Minister CN Ashwath Narayan on Friday asserted that all 3 BJP candidates will get elected from Karnataka.
"Even Siddaramaiah will think 2-3 times before voting for Congress, I think he will also vote for BJP. Anybody with value for democratic principles will never vote for Congress and JDS," he said, ANI reported.
He went on to say, "Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is a leader of statesmanship. It is our honour to have such a political leader with no corruption background. Karnataka has benefitted because of her leadership."
Meanwhile, JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy said, "CT Ravi is BJP General secretary, so how did he enter Congress office?... This shows that CT Ravi went to meet Siddaramaiah for his cooperation in the victory of the BJP candidate."
AIMIM and SP Have Always Been With Us: Maharashtra Minister
Maharashtra minister Aslam Shaikh said, "Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has got numbers and strength. All the candidates from MVA are going to win. AIMIM and Samajwadi Party have always been with us. Everything has become clear today."
Karnataka CM Bommai Casts Vote
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai cast his vote in Rajya Sabha election at Vidhana Soudha.
JD(S) MLAs Arrive at Vidhana Soudha
JD(S) MLAs including HD Kumaraswamy have arrived at Vidhana Soudha for Rajya Sabha elections.
Attacking Congress leader Siddaramaiah, Kumaraswamy was quoted as saying, "Today, before local media he (Siddaramaiah) has said that he didn't write to my MLAs. He had even tweeted the letter from his social media account. Now, he's denying what he said yesterday. This shows his double standards."
"We have confidence that we have 30-31 votes. K Srinivasa Gowda has expressed that he will vote for Congress. Now, let us see," he added.
7 Candidates in the Fray for 6 Maharashtra Seats
In Maharashtra, there are seven candidates in the fray for six seats. The candidates include prominent leaders such as Union minister Piyush Goyal, Anil Bonde, Dhananjay Mahadik (BJP), Praful Patel (NCP), Sanjay Raut and Sanjay Pawar (Shiv Sena) and Imran Pratapgarhi (Congress).
The sixth seat is likely to see a tight contest between BJP's Mahadik and Sena's Pawar.
The electors include 55 Shiv Sena MLAs, 53 NCP MLAs, 44 Congress MLAs, 106 BJP MLAs, 3 Bahujan Vikas Aghadi MLAs, 2 MLAs from Samajwadi party, AIMIM and Prahar Janshakti party, and one from MNS, CPI(M), PWP, Swabhimani Party, Rashtriya Samaj Paksh, Jansurajya Shakti party, Krantikari Shetkari Party.
Other than that, there are 13 independent legislators.
'Forced & Unnecessary': Ashok Gehlot on RS Polls
"These elections are forced and unnecessary," Rajasthan CM and Congress leader Ashok Gehlot was quoted as saying in Jaipur, after he cast his vote for the Rajya Sabha polls.
'Listen to Your Conscience & Support Randeep Surjewala': Cong Leader
"I appeal to Rashtriya Loktantrik Party to listen to their conscience and support the son of a farmer, Randeep Surjewala in Rajya Sabha elections," Congress' Divya Mahipal Maderna said.
'We Will Win, Have Full Support': Sanjay Raut
"All four candidates of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will win. We have full support," Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said on polling day, news agency ANI quoted.
AIMIM to Vote for Congress in Maharashtra
The All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) said that it will vote in favour of the Congress candidate in fray for the Rajya Sabha polls from Maharashtra.
"To defeat BJP, our party AIMIM has decided to vote for Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the Rajya Sabha elections in Maharashtra. Our 2 AIMIM Maharashtra MLAs have been asked to vote for the Congress candidate Imran Pratapgarhi," Imtiaz Jaleel, AIMIM Maharashtra president said on Twitter.
Reacting to this, BJP legislator Atul Bhatkalkar referred to AIMIM as the "B team" of the ruling alliance.
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