Rajya Sabha Election: Polling for 24 seats begins amid security

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Jun 19, 2020: Voting for elections to 24 Rajya Sabha seats began today at 9am. Elections are being held on four seats each from Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, three each from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, two from Jharkhand and one each from the northeastern states of Meghalaya and Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram. Elections to most Rajya Sabha seats were put on hold since March due to the coronavirus pandemic, NDTV reported.

 

Elections to most Rajya Sabha seats were put on hold since March due to the coronavirus pandemic. The build-up to the elections, in which seats from 10 states are at stake, was marked by a resurgence of resort politics, resignations, switching sides and allegations of bribery. In two states, Gujarat and Rajasthan, the Congress whisked away its flock, accusing the BJP of attempts to buy its MLAs.

A comfortable majority in the Rajya Sabha is crucial for the BJP to pilot bills through the upper house. The NDA needs around 30 more seats to have majority in the upper house.

BJP MLA Biranchi Narayan from Jharkhand says Independent MLAs Saryu Rai and Amit Yadav have extended their support to the BJP. "We hope to get the support of 2 other MLAs. With 32 votes, we hope to send Deepak Prakash to Rajya Sabha."

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan casts his vote for Rajya Sabha Election at the state Assembly in Bhopal.

Currently, the NDA has 91 of the 245 Rajya Sabha seats, the UPA has 61. The other opposition and the non-aligned parties together have 68 seats. The key candidates in today’s election include Shakti Singh Gohil and Bharat Singh Solanki from Gujarat, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Digvijaya Singh from Madhya Pradesh and KC Venugopal from Rajasthan.


courtesy: NDTV