Ranchi: The results of the elections to two Rajya Sabha seats from Jharkhand were declared on Thursday, with an Independent candidate backed by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and a Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) nominee emerging victorious amid reports of cross-voting.
Independent candidate Parimal Nathwani, who was supported by the BJP-led NDA, secured one of the seats by defeating Congress candidate Pranav Jha. The second seat was won by JMM nominee Baidyanath Ram.
The election witnessed unexpected voting patterns that sparked allegations of cross-voting within rival camps. Nathwani secured 28 votes despite the NDA having only 24 legislators in the Jharkhand Assembly, indicating support from outside the alliance.
Congress candidate Pranav Jha managed to secure only 20 votes, falling short of expectations based on the strength of the INDIA bloc in the state legislature.
JMM’s Baidyanath Ram emerged as the top vote-getter, receiving 30 votes and comfortably winning the second Rajya Sabha seat.
According to reports, three votes were declared invalid during the counting process, adding another layer of intrigue to the closely watched contest.
The outcome is being viewed as a significant political development in Jharkhand, particularly because the extra votes received by Nathwani suggest possible dissent or strategic voting by legislators from opposition parties.
Parimal Nathwani, a veteran parliamentarian and industrialist, has previously represented Jharkhand in the Rajya Sabha and enjoys support across party lines. His victory, despite contesting as an Independent, underlines his political acceptability among legislators beyond the NDA camp.
The cross-voting episode is expected to trigger discussions within opposition ranks, with parties likely to examine whether any of their legislators deviated from the official voting line.
