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Jun 10, 2022 11:51 PM

Sitharaman, Surjewala among 8 elected to RS, row over rules breach delays counting in Maharashtra, Haryana

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala and senior leader Jairam Ramesh were among the eight candidates elected to the Rajya Sabha on Friday from Karnataka and Rajasthan, while counting got delayed in Maharashtra and Haryana amid wrangling by rival parties over alleged breach of voting rules.

Representations made by the BJP and the Congress and its allies, accusing each other of flouting the open balloting rules and seeking invalidation of the votes of some MLAs, are being examined by the Election Commission. The counting will be taken up only after the poll panel gives the go ahead.

In an emphatic endorsement for the BJP in Karnataka, the ruling party had the last laugh as it won all the three Rajya Sabha seats it contested out of the four that went to polls. The main opposition Congress managed to win only one of the two seats for which its nominees were in the fray, while the JD(S) drew a blank. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, actor-politician Jaggesh, and MLC Lehar Singh Siroya of the BJP, and former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh of the Congress were declared victorious.

Jun 10, 2022 11:38 PM

Counting of votes yet to begin in Maharashtra and Haryana

The counting of votes for the Rajya Sabha elections is yet to begin in Maharashtra and Haryana. The results are out for Rajasthan and Karnataka. In Rajathan, the Congress won three seats while the BJP got one, and in Karnataka, the BJP won three seats and the Congress managed one.

Jun 10, 2022 11:24 PM

Jun 10, 2022 10:54 PM

Congress demands that Election Commission invalidate votes of BJP MLA Sudhir Mungantiwar and independent MLA Ravi Rana in Rajya Sabha election, alleging violation of rules

Jun 10, 2022 10:48 PM

Jun 10, 2022 10:26 PM

Jun 10, 2022 10:26 PM

Jun 10, 2022 10:23 PM

Jun 10, 2022 10:23 PM

Rajya Sabha Election: Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, actor-politician Jaggesh, ex-MLC Lehar Singh Siroya of BJP and former union minister Jairam Ramesh of Congress declared elected.

Jun 10, 2022 9:50 PM

Jun 10, 2022 9:47 PM

RS polls: BJP suspends Rajasthan MLA for voting in favour of Congress candidate

The BJP on Friday suspended its Rajasthan MLA Shobharani Kushwah for cross-voting in favour of Congress candidate Pramod Tiwari in the Rajya Sabha elections. Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria issued an order stating Kushwah voted for Tiwari despite a whip and that she was being suspended from the BJP's primary membership.

In the letter, Kataria also asked the MLA to clarify why she voted against the whip. BJP state president Satish Poonia said the party high command has been informed about the matter. The Congress fielded three candidates for the four Rajya Sabha seats in Rajasthan, while the BJP fielded one, besides supporting an independent candidate.

Jun 10, 2022 9:15 PM

Jun 10, 2022 9:14 PM

Rajya Sabha election: Counting halted in Maharashtra, Haryana over accusations of violation of rules

The counting of votes for the Rajya Sabha elections was delayed on Friday in Maharashtra and Haryana over alleged violation of rules, officials said. The counting was held up in Maharashtra after opposition BJP alleged three MLAs of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)--Cabinet ministers Jitendra Awhad (NCP) and Yashomati Thakur (Congress), besides Shiv Sena legislator Suhas Kande violated the model code for voting. "We have filed an appeal before the Election Commission of India, seeking that their votes be held invalid," said a state BJP leader.

The BJP has alleged that Awhad and Thakur handed over their ballots to their party agents instead of only showing them the ballots, while Kande showed his ballot to two different agents. The counting has been put on hold in Haryana for identical reasons. The BJP and the Independent candidate backed by it have urged the Election Commission to cancel the votes of two Congress MLAs. BJP nominee Krishan Lal Panwar and Independent candidate Kartikeya Sharma shot off a missive to the EC, alleging Congress MLAs Kiran Choudhary and B B Batra showed their ballot papers to unauthorised persons after marking them and that the episodes were "duly captured" on cameras.

Jun 10, 2022 9:12 PM

Congress wins 3 Rajya Sabha seats in Rajasthan: Ashok Gehlot

The ruling Congress on Friday won three of the four Rajya Sabha seats in Rajasthan, overcoming the challenge posed by BJP-backed independent candidate Subhash Chandra, according to the party. The BJP got the fourth seat. Congress candidates Randeep Surjewala, Mukul Wasnik and Pramod Tiwari were elected to the Rajya Sabha, according to a tweet by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. BJP candidate and former minister Ghanshyam Tiwari said he had also won, polling 43 votes.

"Congress's victory on three Rajya Sabha seats in Rajasthan is a victory of 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," Gehlot tweeted. Speaking to reporters, Tiwari said, "I am thankful to the state and the central leadership for making me the candidate. I got 43 votes." The statements came before the official announcement of the results.

All 200 Rajasthan MLAs had cast their votes for the Rajya Sabha elections by Friday afternoon. In the House, the Congress has 108 MLAs, BJP 71, Independents 13, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) three, and the CPI(M) and the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) two each.

Jun 10, 2022 8:48 PM

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