Independent candidate Kartikeya Sharma on Friday elected to Rajya Sabha from Haryana . The late night news suggests that the debutant candidate, Sharma who earlier during the day lodged a complaint against Congress legislators for poll violation, has won after recounting.
In other development keenly-contested Rajya Sabha elections on Friday, the Congress and BJP have managed to win 4 seats each in Karnataka and Rajasthan. However, the counting of votes has been delayed in Haryana and Maharashtra over alleged violation of electoral rules. In Haryana, independent candidate Kartikeya Sharma and the BJP moved to the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging that Congress has not followed poll norms.
Voting was held on 16 Rajya Sabha seats across four states on Friday.
In Karnataka, all three BJP candidates – Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, actor-turned-politician Jaggesh and Lehar Singh Siroya took three out of the four seats, while the Congress’s Jairam Ramesh won the only remaining seat.
HD Deve Gowda’s Janata Dal (Secular), whose home base is Karnataka, did not win a single seat. There were six candidates in the fray for four Rajya Sabha seats in Karnataka.
In Rajasthan, Congress leaders Randeep Singh Surjewala, Pramod Tiwari and Mukul Wasnik and BJP’s Ghanshyam Tiwari emerged victorious. However, BJP-backed independent candidate and media baron Subhash Chandra failed to make the cut.
Sitharaman said the people of Karnataka had given her another opportunity to serve them. “I thank the blessings that BS Yediyurappa (for
mer CM) has always extended to me. I thank every MLA and through them, the people of Karnataka for having given me the 2nd opportunity to serve them… I thank the BJP Karnataka unit and every worker,” she said.
Jairam Ramesh said it was not his victory but of Team Congress.
“This is not my victory. It is a victory for Team Congress. Entire Congress party, PCC chief DK Shivakumar, CLP leader Siddaramaiah, Chief Whips, all MLAs, everybody voted. Not a single invalid vote,it’s really a victory for teamwork. It’s Team Congress that has won,” he said.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot congratulated party leaders for their impressive victory. “Congress’ victory in three Rajya Sabha seats in Rajasthan is a victory for democracy. I congratulate all three newly-elected MPs – Pramod Tiwari, Mukul Wasnik and Randeep Surjewala. I am sure that all the three MPs will be able to firmly champion the rights of Rajasthan in Delhi,” Gehlot said in a tweet.
“It was clear from the beginning that the Congress had the required majority for all three seats. But BJP tried to indulge in horse-trading by fielding an independent. The solidarity of our MLAs has given a befitting reply. The BJP will face a similar defeat in the 2023 assembly elections as well,” he added.
Congress leader Sachin Pilot also congratulated the newly-elected MPs from the state.
“I extend my heartiest congratulations and best wishes to all the three candidates of the Congress party – Mukul Wasnik, Randeep Surjewala, and Pramod Tiwari – for winning the Rajya Sabha elections from the state,” he said.
Polling was necessitated as there were five candidates for four seats in the state in the biennial polls.