E-Paper
Embarrassment for Congress in Haryana Rajya Sabha polls after media baron's win
Haryana Rajya Sabha polls: The BJP won one seat and other seat went to media baron Kartikeya Sharma.
The Congress faced a setback wrapped in embarrassment on Saturday when it was revealed that the party's Ajay Maken had lost to media baron Kartikeya Sharma - an independent candidate backed by the BJP. The grand old party had already kicked off celebrations when the news was revealed. "By a very very, very narrow margin, Ajay Maken has lost," Haryana Congress MLA Bharat Bhushan Batra told reporters.
Earlier, congratulatory messages had started pouring on Twitter and visuals of the party leaders rejoicing had emerged with the counting having stretched late into night. But later, the BJP-backed Kartikeya Sharma turned out to be a winner.
Kartikeya Sharma is the son of former Congress minister Venod Sharma and son-in-law of Congress leader Kuldeep Sharma. In 2016, with support from the BJP, media baron Subhash Chandra had won a seat in Rajya Sabha from Haryana. This time, he lost from Rajasthan.
Some tweets from Congress members were still not deleted when this report was published: “Whole heartedly congratulate to Shri @ajaymaken ji for being nominated as a Member of the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan. Once again Congratulations and best wishes sir," read a tweet by the Congress's BM Sandeep. "Hearty Congratulations @ajaymaken ji for being elected as Member of Rajya Sabha from Haryana !! @VivekBansal72 ji @BhupinderShooda ji @DeependerSHooda ji stood like rock, (sic)," read a post by Congress women wing's Amrrita Dhawan.
Meanwhile, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, sharing his first reaction, said: “It's a matter of happiness for us. I thank all the MLAs for making Krishan Lal Panwar and Kartikeya Sharma win. It's a victory of democracy. I'm hopeful that both of them will raise the matters related to Haryana's people in the house.”
Haryana was one of the four states where polling was held for 16 Rajya Sabha seats on Friday. Last week, 41 candidates were elected unopposed to the upper house from 11 states.
(With inputs from ANI)
