BJP Widens Gap With Congress by Gaining 11 Seats in Rajya Sabha
In UP, the BJP swept the Rajya Sabha elections by winning 9 out of the 10 seats.
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Vacancies Across 17 States to be Filled
The term of the office of 58 members of the Rajya Sabha from 16 states is due to expire on their retirement in April-May 2018. Apart from these vacancies, an additional vacancy in Kerala needs to be filled.
Voting to Start at 9 am
Voting in the six states – Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Telangana – will be held between 9 am and 4 pm on Friday. The polls are to fill 26 of 59 Rajya Sabha seats which are vacant; 33 candidates were elected unopposed earlier.
The counting of votes is to be done in the evening.
Voting Begins
The voting for 26 Rajya Sabha seats in six states begins.
Polling Underway in West Bengal
With more than enough votes to win four Rajya Sabha seats, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee offered to lend her surplus votes to Congress’s Abhishek Manu Singhvi. With the Trinamool’s votes adding to Congress party’s tally, Singhvi is likely to cross the required threshold to win the seat.
MLAs Vote in Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Telangana
Three Rajya Sabha seats are up for grabs in Telangana, four in Karnataka and one in Chhattisgarh.
BJP's Rajeev Chandrashekhar Will Get 50 Votes: Yeddyurappa
Bharatiya Janata Party's Karnataka president BS Yeddyurappa is confident on their candidate Rajeev Chandrashekhar winning the seat in the Rajya Sabha election.
"BJP candidate Rajeev Chandrasekhar will get at least 50 votes. He will win with a majority. I congratulate all MLAs voting for him", News18 quoted Yeddyurappa as saying.
JD(S) Wants Karnataka Voting Cancelled
The Janata Dal (Secular) cried foul demanding cancellation of Rajya Sabha Elections in Karnataka, News18 reported.
The JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy alleged that the returning officer favoured the ruling Congress and that two MLAs from the Congress cross-voted for the BJP, News18 added.
Congress Alleges Jharkhand Vikas Morcha MLA Didn't Show Ballot Paper Intentionally
All India Congress Committee gives memorandum to Election Commision requesting it to issue directions to the concerned Returning Officer to cancel vote cast by Jharkhand Vikas Morcha MLA Prakash Ram. The AICC alleged that Prakash Ram intentionally didn't show ballot paper and concealed marked column.
In response, Election Commission of India said, “ECI has received a complaint from Jharkhand Vikas Morcha for cancellation of vote of Prakash Ram, who cross- voted. Further view will be taken by the Commission after receiving Returning Officer's report.”
Counting of Votes Begins Except in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka
Counting of votes for the 26 Rajya Sabha seats in six states begins amid reports of cross-voting.
Election Commission held back permission to begin the counting of votes for Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh over objections in ballot papers and in Karnataka over complaints of discrepancy.
BJP Wins in Chattisgarh, Defeats Congress
BJP's Saroj Pandey wins Rajya Sabha seat from Chhattisgarh by beating the Congress' Lekhram Sahu.
BJP congratulated Pandey on Twitter on her win.
TMC Wins One of the Five Seats in West Bengal
Trinamool Congress’ Abir Ranjan Biswas won one of the five Rajya Sabha seats in West Bengal.
Veerendra Kumar Elected to Rajya Sabha From Kerala
MP Veerendra Kumar, the state president of the Janata Dal (U) Sharad Yadav faction, was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Kerala.
Kumar, who was supported by the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF, polled 89 votes, while B Babu Prasad, the opposition UDF candidate, got 40 votes in the election held to one seat from the state, official sources said.
The election was held after the seat fell vacant when Kumar resigned from the Upper House of Parliament as a mark of protest against JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar joining hands with BJP-led NDA.
4 Seats in West Bengal to TMC, One to Congress
Four out of five Rajya Sabha seats in West Bengal were won by the Trinamool Congress while one went to the Congress’ Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
ECI Rejects Complaint Against Jharkhand Vikas Morcha MLA Prakash Ram
Election Commission has rejected the complaint against Jharkhand Vikas Morcha MLA Prakash Ram after reviewing the CCTV video. It was alleged that he did not show his ballot paper to the party's authorised representative after casting vote.
Telangana's Ruling TRS Wins All Three Seats
TRS candidates B Prakash, B Lingaiah Yadav and J Santosh Kumar elected to Rajya Sabha from Telangana.
Congress Wins 3 RS Seats, BJP One in Karnataka
While the ruling Congress in Karnataka bagged three Rajya Sabha seats, the BJP could only win one in the biennial election.
Congress' Dr L Hanumanthaiah, Dr Syed Naseer Hussain and GC Chandrasekhar and the BJP's Rajeev Chandrashekar were declared elected by the returning officer.
BJP Win 9 Seats in UP, 1 Seat Goes to SP's Jaya Bachchan
Nine out of ten Rajya Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh were won by the BJP while one seat was bagged by SP candidate Jaya Bachchan.
Addressing a press conference after the party’s victory, UP CM Yogi Adityanath congratulated the victors, calling it a ‘massive win’ for the state.
The BSP, meanwhile, has alleged sabotage by the BJP, accusing them of using “money power and state powers” in the voting process.
Congress Won One Seat in Jharkhand, and BJP Won Another
In Jharkhand, one seat went to Congress and one to BJP. The BJP's Sameer Uranv and Congress' Dheeraj Sahu won the two Rajya Sabha seats from Jharkhand, declared the Returning Officer.
Speaking to ANI, Sahu said that the elections were different this time around, as the party had deal with fake allegations and mud-slinging.
BJP National President Amit Shah Congratulates Victors from Party
The BJP gained the most in Uttar Pradesh, where it won nine out of the 10 Rajya Sabha seats, in a huge setback for the BSP. Overall, the party won 28 out of the 59 seats – widening the gap with the Congress as it added a total of 11 seats to its current tally of 58 in the Upper House.
- In Karnataka, the Congress bagged three seats and the BJP won one
- Telangana’s ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi bagged all three seats in the state
- In West Bengal, the TMC won four seats, the Congress won one
- The BJP claimed the seat in Chhattisgarh, and Veerendra Kumar, president of the Janata Dal (U) Sharad Yadav faction for Kerala, retained his seat
- In Jharkhand, the Congress and the BJP won a seat each
- Earlier on 15 March, 33 candidates from 10 states were declared elected unopposed
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