NEW DELHI — The counting of votes for 11 high-stakes Rajya Sabha seats began at 5 PM on Monday, following a day of intense polling marked by allegations of cross-voting and “missing” legislators. While 26 of the 37 total biennial seats across 10 states were decided unopposed, the remaining contests in Bihar, Haryana, and Odisha are expected to shift the balance of power in the Upper House.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) conducted the polls to fill vacancies arising in April. The day’s most watched developments took place in the Bihar and Odisha assemblies, where the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) faced off against unified Opposition blocs.
Unopposed Victories: 26 Seats Settled
Before the first ballot was even cast on Monday, 26 candidates had already secured their entry into the Rajya Sabha. The BJP bagged seven of these uncontested seats, including prominent leader Vinod Tawde from Maharashtra and Jogen Mohan from Assam. The Congress secured five seats, notably re-electing Abhishek Manu Singhvi from Telangana and sending Anurag Sharma to the House from Himachal Pradesh.
Other major regional players also solidified their presence:
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Trinamool Congress (TMC): Won 4 seats in West Bengal, including Babul Supriyo and actress Koel Mallick.
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DMK: Secured 3 seats in Tamil Nadu, led by veteran Tiruchi Siva.
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Maharashtra Powerhouses: Sharad Pawar (NCP-SP), Ramdas Athawale (RPI-A), and Parth Pawar (NCP) all won unopposed.
The Battle for the Remaining Eleven
The real drama unfolded in the 11 contested seats where the number of candidates exceeded the available vacancies.
Bihar (5 Seats): In a significant political move, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar (JD-U) successfully contested for a Rajya Sabha seat, alongside BJP State President Nitin Nabin and Ram Nath Thakur. However, the fifth seat turned into a proxy war between the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan. Reports emerged of at least three INDIA bloc MLAs going “missing” or abstaining, potentially handing a victory to NDA-backed Upendra Kushwaha over RJD’s Amarendra Dhari Singh.
Odisha (4 Seats): Voting was briefly halted in the Odisha Assembly following a dispute over a second ballot paper issued to a BJP MLA. While BJP State President Manmohan Samal and Sujeet Kumar are certain of victory, the fourth seat is a “dead heat” between BJP-supported Independent Dilip Ray and Dr. Datteswar Hota, who is backed by a rare coalition of BJD, Congress, and CPI(M).
Haryana (2 Seats): The entry of Independent candidate Satish Nandal turned a straightforward contest into a three-way fight for two seats. While BJP’s Sanjay Bhatia is comfortably placed, the second seat remains a tense battle for Congress candidate Karamvir Singh Boudh, who faces the risk of cross-voting within his own party ranks.
Implications for the House
The final results, expected by late Monday evening, are crucial for the NDA as it seeks to inch closer to a majority in the 245-member Rajya Sabha. A stronger showing in these 11 seats would allow the government to pass key legislative reforms with less reliance on neutral regional parties like the YSRCP or BJD.
