PTI
New Delhi, June 11
The BJP’s strength in state legislatures suggested that the party could retain only 20 of the 24 Rajya Sabha seats in the biennial elections for 57 seats, but after the electoral process ended on Saturday, it won 22 and one. He also ensured the victory of an independent. , underscoring its tussle between unaffiliated MLAs and disaffected MPs in the opposition camp.
The BJP’s better-than-expected performance is a boost for the ruling National Democratic Alliance ahead of the presidential election, and a setback for its rivals, as the Rajya Sabha polls have again exposed discontent and lack of solidarity in the opposition ranks from Maharashtra. For Karnataka and Haryana.
The BJP’s ambitious campaign by supporting independent candidates in these states other than Rajasthan or forcing its own candidates to profit from a split in the ranks of its rivals has paid dividends as it has won a single seat in all states except Rajasthan. – Gained an extra seat.
Congress stalwart and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot not only managed to keep his flock of pro-MLAs together, but also managed to thwart the saffron party’s efforts to get Subhash Chandra, an independent, outgoing MP and media entrepreneur. By wooing the MLA, he also embarrassed the BJP. , Selected.
BJP sources said the party was happy with the result, especially in Maharashtra where the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress suffered a setback despite being in power as the BJP was putting three of the six seats at stake.
It is also a boost for BJP leader and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who has suffered his share of setbacks since he lost power in the state, as he turned the Shiv Sena from friend to foe.
The party also won three out of four seats in Karnataka as its rivals Congress and JD(S) could not come to an agreement and fought separately and lost.
Congress veteran Bhupinder Singh Hooda suffered a setback as the party’s candidate Ajay Maken lost, one of its MLAs, Kuldeep Bishnoi, voted for BJP-backed independent Karthikeya Sharma, who was also a media entrepreneur, and another legislator voted for . invalid.
Rajya Sabha elections were held for 57 seats in 15 states. While 41 members were elected unopposed in 11 states, elections were held for 16 seats in four states on Friday due to the presence of more contestants than the available vacancies in each of these states.
Ahead of the presidential election, which is due on July 18, if more than one person is in the fray, the Rajya Sabha results are a morale booster for the ruling coalition.
In an electoral college of around 10.86 lakh votes, the BJP-led alliance is estimated to have over 48 per cent votes and is expected to be supported by non-aligned regional parties like YSR Congress and BJD.