One of the two Rajya Sabha seats in Jharkhand was won by an Independent backed the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), and the other went to a Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) candidate, people aware of the developments told HT. While election results are yet to be announced officially, several Jharkhand leaders have reacted to the news.
According to news agency PTI, the polls were marred by cross-voting. Parimal Nathwani, the independent candidate NDA backed defeated Congress's Pranav Jha, and JMM candidate Baidyanath Ram was elected to the other seat.
Cross-voting reports emerged after Nathwani polled 28 votes, despite the NDA's tally in Jharkhand being only 24. Meanwhile, Congress's Jha got only 20 votes.
Congress state in-charge K Raju has alleged that “money was used” by the independent candidate to sway the results in his favour. “All 16 votes of Congress are intact, JMM gave 4 votes and Congress got 20 votes. This situation arose because the independent candidate used money…,” he told the media when asked about the outcome.
Meanwhile, JMM candidate Ram received 30 votes in the election, sources said. According to PTI, three votes -- two from the BJP and one from the Congress -- were found invalid.
Inside the poll math in Jharkhand
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, JMM candidate Ram received 30 votes in the election, sources said. According to PTI, three votes -- two from the BJP and one from the Congress -- were found invalid.
Inside the poll math in Jharkhand
{{/usCountry}}The 24 tally of the NDA MLAs in the Jharkhand Assembly is divided as follows: 21 from the BJP and one each from the LJP (Ram Vilas), AJSU Party and the JD(U). There were doubts on whether the candidate backed by the NDA would win the Rajya Sabha polls, because 28 first-preference votes were needed for victory.
The INDIA bloc has 56 MLAs in the state, comprising 34 from the JMM, 16 from the Congress, four from the RJD and two from CPI(ML) Liberation.
Two days before the June 18 polls, the NDA had moved MLAs to the Radisson Blu hotel in Ranchi, sparking questions on whether the party feared poaching attempts before the elections.
When asked about the gap of four MLAs back then, BJP leader Babulal Marandi had said: "There are 81 MLAs; I have repeatedly mentioned that there are 81 votes. These 81 voters will then exercise their choice and cast their votes for the candidate.”
Voting was scheduled till 4pm today, and as reported earlier, all 24 NDA MLAs cast their votes. They arrived together in bus from the hotel they had been staying at.
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While cross-voting was reported on Thursday, the INDIA bloc had exuded confidence in their unity. "We all 56 MLAs of the INDIA bloc are united, and we will win both the Rajya Sabha seats," Congress MLA Suresh Baitha had said.
Long before the poll results were announced, the BJP had been claiming victory of the Independent the NDA backed.
One of the Rajya Sabha seats in the state fell vacant following the death of JMM co-founder Shibu Soren. The other vacancy is due to the completion of BJP member Deepak Prakash's tenure on June 21.
(With inputs from HT correspondent Chetan Chauhan)