Rajya Sabha Election Result: BJP registers victory in Himachal and UP, Congress bags 3 seats in Karnataka

In Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh BJP MLC Mohsin Raza said, "We knew that this would be the result. BJP was confident that we would win all 8 seats. I don't understand why the Opposition was dejected because they did not have to win. Ye 8 nahi, 80 ki tayyari hai. We are going to win 80 after this...We will win 400 in the Lok Sabha elections."

BJP leaders and workers raise slogans and celebrate in Lucknow as all 8 candidates of the party from the state win the Rajya Sabha elections.

In Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan said, "This is the victory of BJP, of Narendra Modi, of Amit Shah."

State BJP has claimed that their candidate has won the election.

RS polls 2024: Congress wins 3 Rajya Sabha seats in Karnataka, BJP secures one after cross-voting. 

Congress candidates Ajay Maken, GC Chandrasekhar, and Syed Naseer Hussain won the Rajya Sabha polls in Karnataka. BJP candidate Narayana Bhandage won the Rajya Sabha polls in Karnataka.

In a setback to the BJP-JD(S) alliance, saffron party MLA S T Somashekar voted for Congress candidate Ajay Maken while another MLA Arbail Shivaram Hebbar abstained from voting in the Rajya Sabha elections for four seats in Karnataka on Tuesday. Somashekar and Hebbar, who are upset with the BJP, were seen getting closer with the Congress in recent months. Somashekar represents Yashwantpur assembly constituency and Hebbar from Yellapur segment. "We have got the information that Somashekar has done cross-voting. I believe that people do not like cheating every now and then," the Leader of Opposition R Ashoka told reporters here. "I consulted with advocate Vivek Reddy who is our state legal cell president and a high court lawyer. We will ask the Speaker to initiate action against him (Somashekar) and explore the possibilities to take steps in accordance with the law," the former deputy chief minister said.

SP MLA Udayveer said that Samajwadi Party had given three objections in which Banaras MLA Neel Ratan Patel had voted from outside and put in the ballot box inside, which is clearly wrong. SubhaSP MLA was given a helper under the influence of the government and got him to cast his vote which is also wrong. We have given three objections to the Election Commission including these, counting will start only after the decision on them is taken.

Six Congress MLAs who cross-voted were- Indrajit Lakhanpal, Chaitanya Sharma, Sudhir Sharma, Rajendra Rana, Devendra Singh Bhutto, Ravi Thakur and three independent MLAs Ashish Sharma, KL Thakur and Hoshiar Singh.

All these 9 MLAs are missing from Himachal Assembly. They are preparing to go out of Himachal Pradesh. 

(With inputs from Puneet Pareenja) 

Voting for 10 Rajya Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh ended Tuesday evening, amid concerns in the Samajwadi Party over cross-voting and the party chief whip quitting while polling ended at 4:00 pm. At present there are 399 members in the 403-member Assembly with four vacancies. Out of the 399 MLAs, 395 exercised their voting rights on Tuesday: three of them could not vote as they are in jail, while officials could not confirm the other MLA who did not cast the ballot. Voting began at 9 am and ended at 4 pm. "The counting of votes will start at 5 pm and the results are likely to be declared tonight," Returning Officer Brijbhushan Dubey said. Many senior leaders including Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak and Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav cast their votes. Amid concerns over cross-voting and SP chief whip Manoj Pandey quitting while polling was underway, Yadav warned action will be taken against such MLAs. "Those who wanted to profit from the situation will go. Those who were given assurances (by the BJP) will go," Yadav told reporters at the assembly before casting his vote.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today said that all three Congress candidates will win the Rajya Sabha election. “AICC Treasurer Ajay Maken, Syed Naseer Hussain, and G.C. Chandrashekhar will win easily in the elections,” the Chief Minister said.

He said that all the Congress legislators have loyally voted for the party candidates. “The Congress candidates will emerge victorious. As JD (S) fielded the fifth candidate, we have to get together and cast our votes. They had indulged in luring and threatening our legislators,” the Chief Minister said. Reacting to the JD (S) leaders’ call for Congress MLAs to cast votes as per the call of conscience, the Chief Minister asked where is the conscience? “They have named their party as Janata Dal Secular and joined with BJP,” the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said. He said that Congress may also get votes from MLAs who have good opinion about the Karnataka government. On horse trading allegations, the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said: “When we have sufficient votes, what is the need to lure other party MLAs? We are sure of getting votes of independent MLAs. There is no necessity to lure other MLAs.” He said that BJP and JD (S) have been indulging in threatening and luring the MLAs. “Let them keep their MLAs intact. Cross voting is only possible from BJP party leaders,” the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said.

The BJP and the SP are the two largest parties in the 403-member state assembly with 252 and 108 MLAs, respectively. The Congress, an alliance partner of the SP, has two seats. BJP ally Apna Dal (Sonelal) has 13 seats, the NISHAD Party has six seats, RLD has nine, SBSP six, Jansatta Dal Loktantrik two and the BSP has one seat. Four seats are currently vacant. The seven other candidates fielded by the BJP are former Union minister R P N Singh, former MP Chaudhary Tejveer Singh, general secretary of the party's UP unit Amarpal Maurya, former state minister Sangeeta Balwant, party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi, former MLA Sadhna Singh and former Agra mayor Naveen Jain. The SP has fielded actor-MP Jaya Bachchan, retired IAS officer Alok Ranjan and Dalit leader Ramji Lal Suman. To get elected to the Rajya Sabha from UP, a candidate needs 37 first preference votes, an official said.

As many as 214 MLAs in Karnataka exercised their franchise for the four Rajya Sabha seats on Tuesday till 1 pm, Election Commission officials said. The Congress has 133 MLAs, excluding the Speaker, while the BJP and JD(S) have 66 and 19 legislators respectively, in the 223-member House. Others account for four. However, one Congress MLA died on Sunday. On Tuesday, voting began at 9 am and will go on till 4 pm. The counting will start from 5 pm. The MLAs will exercise their voting rights using an open ballot system. They have to display their voting preference to the nominated polling agents.

According to sources, eight MLAs cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha elections 2024. Seven MLAs from SP and 1 MLA from Subha SP cross-voted in the polls today. 

SP MLA Maharaji Prajapati did not come to vote on Tuesday. 

List of 7 SP MLAs who cross-voted: 

1. Rakesh Pandey
2. Abhay Singh
3. Rakesh Pratap Singh
4. Manoj Pandey
5. Vinod Chaturvedi
6. Pooja Pal 
7. Ashutosh Maurya

Om Prakash Rajbhar's party MLA Jagdish Narayan Rai voted for SP.

(With inputs from Ruchi Kumar)

Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar speaks on Rajya Sabha polls in the state. 

"This alliance can't go well, because even the BJP had 65-66 votes, they could have got their candidate elected with 45 votes, but they have taken 48 votes. This means that even BJP legislators are not interested to vote for JD(S)."

On cross-votes in Rajya Sabha elections, Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said, "I have not seen it. It is a secret ballot vote. In the state, this alliance cannot go well. BJP had 65 votes or something, they could have got 45 and their candidate elected. They have taken 48 votes which shows that BJP legislators are not interested in voting for JD(S). BJP legislators do not want to vote for JD(S), hence out of 45, they have taken 48 votes."

UP: On biennial Rajya Sabha elections on the remaining 15 seats, state Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak said, "All 8 candidates of BJP are winning the elections. All parties have openly supported the BJP. In large numbers, members of other political parties have supported BJP candidates."

BJP MLA Neel Ratan Patel arrived at the UP Assembly in an ambulance to cast his vote. The voting for the Rajya Sabha elections is underway. In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has fielded eight candidates and the Samajwadi Party three.

Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said, "We issued Whip, but they didn't have the majority. We had to do the voting. In a way BJP has tried to threaten our leaders, Congress Party strongly condemns it."

He added, "During the cut-motion, the opposition leader Jairam Thakur put the matter. Jagat Negi presented our matter when talks could not happen, in a way BJP behaved was condemnable, post that ruckus occurred and House was adjourned."

General Secretary of Samajwadi Party Ram Gopal Yadav said his party's candidates won the election.

"Our candidates have won, they have got 102 votes... It's completely fine if someone is choosing to leave our party," he added.

Harsh Mahajan, BJP's Rajya Sabha candidate from Himachal Pradesh said it seems Congress candidate is losing the election.

"BJP made me their candidate, it is my luck. I want to thank PM Modi, Amit Shah and JP Nadda...as per the statement of Congress right now, it seems they have lost their mind...this is happening because their govt is failed so their MLAs and people are upset with them," he added.

The voting in Himachal Pradesh for one seat concluded today. The sources claimed that 8 to 9 Congress MLAs cross-voted in the state.

Congress MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao said his party leaders are intact, adding for the BJP, it has become a practice to use any method to win.

On the Rajya Sabha elections, UP's Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik) leader Raja Bhaiya said his party already made clear that it would support BJP and all 8 candidates of the saffron party would win.

On rumors of cross-voting in Rajya Sabha elections, BJP chief whip in Karnataka Assembly, Doddanagouda G Patil said It is confirmed that ST Somashekar has cross-voted.

We are discussing what can be done and what action to be taken, he added.

BJP Chief Whip in Karnataka Assembly, Doddanagouda G Patil said, "It is confirmed that ST Somashekar has cross-voted. We are discussing what can be done and what action to be taken."

Sources claimed 8 to 9 Congress MLAs cross-voted in Himachal Pradesh.

Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said,"...All our MLAs have voted for the elections. I hope they have all voted on the ideology of the party. We can only say anything once the results are declarred. BJP mein antar-aatma naam ki chiz nahi hai, waha toh paisa antar-aatma chalta hai'..."

Karnataka Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad said, "There will be no cross-voting. Congress candidates will get more votes than required. If people from some other party want to vote for us, then we won't say no to it."

Another SP MLA to support BJP candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections in UP. Handia MLA Hakim Chandra Bind will support the BJP candidate, said the sources.

Not everybody has the guts to stand against the Government...pressure is put on everybody, is there anyone who doesn't know that BJP would go to any extent to win. BJP was dishonest during Chandigarh elections also... When it comes to UP, BJP did everything to get votes and those who left, might not have had the guts to stand against the govt. Action will be taken because our party leaders want such people to be kept away from the party..."

Samajwadi Party MLA Zahid Beg said the BJP is trying to poach out leaders but we will win all three seats. 

"We will win all three seats. The BJP is trying to poach our leaders and they are spending huge money for this. However, I am confident that our leaders won't accept the money... Resigning as chief whip is a different issue. Manoj Kumar Pandey is a senior leader. He is not someone who would accept money from anyone," said Beg on Manoj Kumar Pandey resigning as chief whip in UP Assembly.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah cast his vote for the Rajya Sabha elections at Vidhana Soudha, in Bengaluru.

Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief OP Rajbhar claimed that several SP leaders agreed to the cross-voting. 

"The 8 candidates from the BJP are going to win. Raja Bhaiya and all our allies are in support of BJP. Samajwadi Party leaders are openly agreeing to vote for BJP. There will be cross-voting from the Samajwadi Party. They will support NDA, 100% there will be cross-voting," he said.

So far, out of a total of 68 legislators 64 cast their votes in Himachal Pradesh in the Rajya Sabha elections.

Manoj Pandey, who resigned from SP chief whip post, may join BJP, said the sources. They said his resignation from the post of MLA is also possible. The BJP may make him candidate from Rae Bareli or induct him into Yogi Cabinet, they added. The sources said there is also a chance that the ruling party could make him Deputy Speaker. 

Meanwhile, on the instructions of Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav, the name plate of chief whip Manoj Pandey was removed from the Legislative Assembly.

Congress MLAs arrived at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru to cast their vote in Rajya Sabha elections.

According to the sources, there was an altercation over the phone between Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) leader Pallavi Patel and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. It is said that an argument took place on the issue of voting in the Rajya Sabha elections. Yadav reportedly told Patel that he does not need her vote.

Karnataka Deputy LoP and BJP leader Arvind Bellad said his party is confident of its votes, adding they (Congress) are doubtful of their votes and that is why they have kept their leaders in a resort.

100 MLAs cast their votes till 9.45 am in the Rajya Sabha elections in UP. The voting is underway to elect 15 MPs in the four states.

Samajwadi Party MLA Manoj Pandey resigned from the post of chief whip amid a buzz over cross-voting.

BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said it is just a matter of a few hours and everything will be clear by the evening.

BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said it is just a matter of a few hours and everything will be clear by the evening.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav left from the polling station in Lucknow after casting his vote for the Rajya Sabha elections.

BJP MLA Tribhuvan Ram said Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav did not listen to the voice of his MLAs due to which their MLAs were angry.

Three SP MLAs - Abhay Singh, Rakesh Pratap Singh and Rakesh Pandey - said that they would vote based on their conscience.

Ahead of the biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha, Samajwadi Party leader Rajendra Chaudhary said the election should be unbiased.

"Elections should be unbiased then only democracy will strengthen. Those who misuse power, can't be a supporter of democracy," he said.

UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak exuded confidence of winning all eight party candidates in the Rajya Sabha election in the state.

"MLAs' support and blessings are with BJP candidates. The results will be in favour of BJP...all candidates of BJP will win," he said.

On the Rajya Sabha biennial elections, Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Ajay Singh says "We are going to win all 8 seats..."

Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) leader Pallavi Patel, an ally of the Samajwadi Party, said that she would not vote in the Rajya Sabha polls as she did not agree with the SP decision to field Jaya Bachchan and Alok Ranjan.

Thirty-six per cent of Rajya Sabha candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves while the average assets of candidates analysed stood at Rs 127. 81 crore, according to poll rights body Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). ADR said 36 per cent Rajya Sabha candidates declared criminal cases against themselves.

These MLAs did not attend the Samajwadi Party meeting held before the Rajya Sabha elections.

• 1. Rakesh Pandey
• 2. Abhay Singh
• 3. Rakesh Pratap Singh
• 4. Manoj Pandey
• 5. Vinod Chaturvedi
• 6. Maharaj Prajapati
• 7. Pooja Pal
• 8. Pallavi Patel

Thirty-six per cent of Rajya Sabha candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves while the average assets of candidates analysed stood at Rs 127.81 crore, according to poll rights body Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). The ADR and the National Election Watch analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 58 out of the 59 candidates in the fray for 56 seats in 15 states. The Rajya Sabha polls are scheduled for February 27.

Ahead of polling for one Rajya Sabha seat in Himachal Pradesh, the BJP accused the ruling Congress of issuing whip to its members to pressurise them and maintained that the MLAs have been elected democratically and have the right to vote as per their wish. Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said the Congress has issued a whip asking its MLAs to vote for party candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi. Thakur said the Election Commission of India had made it clear that whip can't be issued for the election and added the Congress has by issuing the whip shown its intention to pressurise the party legislators. He said the Congress has told its legislators that showing the ballot paper to the authorised agent of the party is mandatory and if any member has indulged in cross voting, the vote will be rendered invalid.

The ruling BJP and the principal opposition SP have the numbers to send seven and three members respectively unopposed to the Rajya Sabha, but with the BJP fielding Sanjay Seth as its eighth candidate, a keen contest is on the cards in one of the seats. The seven other candidates fielded by the BJP are former Union minister RPN Singh, former MP Chaudhary Tejveer Singh, general secretary of the party's Uttar Pradesh unit Amarpal Maurya, former state minister Sangeeta Balwant (Bind) party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi, former MLA Sadhna Singh and former Agra mayor Naveen Jain. The Samajwadi Party has fielded actor-MP Jaya Bachchan, retired IAS officer Alok Ranjan and Dalit leader Ramji Lal Suman.

The stage is set for a high-pitched electoral battle in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Lok Sabha polls on Tuesday, with the BJP fielding eight candidates and the opposition Samajwadi Party three for the 10 Rajya Sabha seats. The ruling BJP and the principal opposition SP have the numbers to send seven and three members respectively unopposed to the Rajya Sabha, but with the BJP fielding Sanjay Seth as its eighth candidate, a keen contest is on the cards in one of the seats. Seth, an industrialist and former SP leader, joined the BJP in 2019. He had filed his nomination in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and other senior party leaders. The BJP and the SP are the two largest parties in the 403-member state assembly with 252 MLAs and 108 MLAs respectively.