Rajya Sabha Poll Results: BJP Sweeps Himachal and UP, Congress Clinches 3 Seats in Karnataka

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 28th Feb. In a significant setback for the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, party’s Rajya Sabha nominee, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, faced defeat in the polls as “nine MLAs including six from the party cross-voted.” Despite a tie with Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Harsh Mahajan, both securing 34 votes each, the winner was determined through a draw of lots.

Meanwhile, in Karnataka, the ruling Congress clinched victory on three Rajya Sabha seats, while the BJP secured one. Congress candidates Ajay Maken, Dr. Syed Naseer Hussain, and GC Chandrashekhar emerged victorious, each receiving substantial votes.

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar expressed gratitude, stating, “Three candidates from the Congress party have won the Rajya Sabha seats. I thank all voters, the CM and party workers, and the AICC President also, he was very conscious. I would like to thank Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge.”

In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP secured eight seats, while the Samajwadi Party managed to win two. The SP had fielded actor MP Jaya Bachchan, retired IAS officer Alok Ranjan, and Ramji Lal Suman. Winning a Rajya Sabha seat from UP requires nearly 37 first preference votes.

With the Lok Sabha elections 2024 looming, the outcome of the Rajya Sabha polls holds significance, especially in politically crucial states like Uttar Pradesh. Polling for 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh, four in Karnataka, and one in Himachal Pradesh concluded at 4:00 pm, with counting beginning at 5:00 pm.

The Rajya Sabha, with a total of 245 members, sees elections every two years for 33% of its seats. While 50 members are set to retire on April 2, six will do so on April 3. Among the 41 candidates elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha were former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, BJP chief JP Nadda, and Union ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and L Murugan.