Rajya Sabha Polls Highlights: BJP wins UP, Himachal; Congress bags Karnataka

Maratha community protest against Jarange

People from the Maratha community protested against Manoj Jarange in Nagpur and burnt his effigy.

Kharge kicks off Andhra Pradesh campaign

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge kicked off the party’s election campaign for Andhra Pradesh at Anantapur on Monday, ahead of the upcoming state assembly polls and Lok Sabha elections, promising to dole out Rs 5,000 every month for eligible poor households.

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Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge with Y S Sharmila

Ashok Gehlot's son resigns as RCA president, alleges targeting

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehot’s son Vaibhav Gehlot, a Congress leader and president of Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) resigned today, alleging he was being deliberately targeted after the change of regime in the state.

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Ashok Gehot’s son Vaibhav Gehlot

Maharashtra Police registers case against Manoj Jarange in five IPC sections

Cases against him have been registered under sections 341,143,145,149,188 of IPC. Manoj Jarange Patil allegedly instigated common people to block a road in Beed and due to this there was heavy traffic jam and people faced inconvenience. Police have also registered cases over traffic jams in 25 other places in Beed: Nandakumar Thakur, SP, Beed, news agency ANI reported.

Visuals from a polling station in Bengaluru ahead of RS polls

Visuals from Himachal Pradesh Assembly in Shimla ahead of RS polls

Opposition leaders hold protest outside Vidhan Bhavan amid Maharashtra Assembly Budget session

Leaders are protesting over the state's law and order situation.

Samajwadi Party should look at its own house before accusing others, says BJP leader Sidharth Nath Singh

Speaking about BJP's Rajya Sabha candidates from Uttar Pradesh, Singh said, "There are eight candidates and all of them will be going to Delhi, and there's no doubt about that. Those who are afraid have claimed that the BJP has poached their leaders. This means that they couldn't safeguard their house."

In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has fielded eight candidates and the Samajwadi Party three.

SP's UP Assembly chief whip resigns as voting in Rajya Sabha polls under way

Samajwadi Party MLA and leader Manoj Kumar Pandey resigned from the post of Samajwadi Party Chief Whip today as voting in the elections for the 10 Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh is under way.

This comes after eight MLAs of the Samajwadi Party did not attend a meeting called by party chief Akhilesh Yadav yesterday.

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Congress MLAs arrive at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru to cast votes in RS polls

Manoj Pandey has always been a supporter of Sanatana Dharma, says UP Minister Dayashankar on his resignation

Speaking about Pandey's resignation as SP's chief whip, UP Minister Dayashankar Singh said, "He has always been giving statements regarding the same. He wanted everyone to visit Ayodhya and have a darshan. This is the reason he is showing faith in PM Modi's leadership and is taking such a decision..."

BJP trying to poach our leaders, confident they won't accept money, says SP MLA Zahid Beg

Speaking about Manoj Pandey's resignation, Beg said, "Manoj Kumar Pandey is a senior leader. He is not someone who would accept money from anyone."

Rumours were spread by media, I said nothing, Kamal Nath refutes BJP switch

On rumours of him jumping ship, Congress leader Kamal Nath said, "Have you ever heard this from my mouth? You (media) run this news and then ask me about it. First, you (media) should refute it."

Not everybody has the guts to stand against the govt, BJP would go to any extent to win: Akhilesh Yadav

Taking a jibe at the BJP, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said, "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."

He further talked about SP leaders' exit from the party and said, "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 will only emerge stronger, says Akhilesh Yadav on cross-voting

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said that cross-voting will not affect the party ahead of Lok Sabha polls.

What is cross-voting?

When an individual belonging to a certain party votes for another party or more than one party, it is called cross-voting.

There have been rumours about cross-voting conduction in Rajya Sabha polls today.

For the BJP, it has become a practice to use any method to win: Congress MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao

On cross-voting rumours, Congress MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao said, "We all are intact. For the BJP, it has become a practice to use any method to win."

Congress has been disturbing JD(S) MLAs everyday, our candidate put forward to show our strength: JD (S) leader Kumaraswamy

On Rajya Sabha elections, Karnataka JD (S) leader, H D Kumaraswamy said that Congress has been 'disturbing' JD (S) MLA by saying that more than 13 of them are 'ready to join'.

"To show our strength, we put forward a candidate in this election".

Cross-voting possible only in BJP, not Congress, says Siddaramiah

On reports of cross-voting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said, "let them keep their (BJP's) MLAs intact. Cross-voting is only possible in the BJP, not in Congress."

People will teach a lesson to those who try to kill democracy: SP leader Rajendra Chaudhary on cross-voting

On reports of cross-voting in Rajya Sabha elections, Samajwadi Party leader Rajendra Chaudhary said, "If the ruling party will try to do cross-voting, then it is against democracy. People will never let the democracy die, and they will teach a lesson to those who will try to do it."

I have cast my vote as per my conscience: Karnataka Independent MLA Janardhana Reddy

Karnataka Independent MLA Reddy further said that he has 'high respect' towards the Prime Minister.

Congress' statements show they have lost their minds: BJP RS candidate Harsh Mahajan

Speaking on reports of cross-voting, BJP's Rajya Sabha candidate from Himachal Pradesh said, "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."

Our candidate Sanjay Seth will get the highest number of votes: UP Minister Dayashankar Singh

On Rajya Sabha elections, Uttar Pradesh Minister Dayashankar Singh said, "Our candidates will win with more votes than they need. Our candidate Sanjay Seth will get the highest number of votes."

Our candidates have won, they have got 102 votes: SP Gen Sec Gopal Yadav

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

S T Somashekar has cross-voted, says BJP chief whip in state Assembly

Election to four Rajya Sabha seats in Karnataka on Tuesday was marked by high drama, with the BJP Chief Whip in Karnataka Assembly, Doddangouda G Patil, accusing BJP MLA S T Somashekar for “violating the party whip”

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UP's BJP MLA Neel Ratan Patel arrives in ambulance to cast his vote

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Naran Rathwa joins BJP

In a major blow to the Congress in Gujarat ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, its Rajya Sabha member and former Union minister Naran Rathwa joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with his son and a large number of supporters on Tuesday.

BJP MLAs are not interested to vote for JD(S), says D K Shivakumar

Speaking to presspersons about on Rajya Sabha polls in the state, Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said, "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)."

FIR lodged against JD(S) Rajya Sabha candidate for 'threatening' Congress MLAs during RS polls

An FIR has been registered against the JD(S) leader contesting the Rajya Sabha elections in Karnataka, D Kupendra Reddy, and his aides at the Vidhana Soudha police station in Bengaluru, former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy said on Tuesday.

“The Congress leaders not only spoke about allurement and threat to their MLAs time and again but also registered an FIR against Kupendra Reddy and his aides,” the JD(S) second-in-command told reporters.

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'All eight candidates of BJP are winning,' says UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak

As polling ends for the Rajya Sabha elections on Tuesday, Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak has claimed that all eight candidates of the BJP are winning. 

"All eight candidates of the BJP are winning. Let's wait for the results," he told reporters.

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 BJP has fielded eight candidates. 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.

Counting of votes under way

The polling for the Rajya Sabha elections has ended in Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. The counting of votes has commenced in the three states.

Cross-voting in Himachal Pradesh?

Amid concerns of cross-voting in the Congress, polling for the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Himachal Pradesh ended on Tuesday, with Congress MLA from Chintpurni Sudershan Babloo casting the last vote.

The polling, which started at 9 am, was brisk and all 68 members have voted. Independent MLA from Hamirpur Ashish was the first to cast his vote, news agency PTI reported.

After casting his vote, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the MLAs have voted as per the ideology of the party.

"We have 40 MLAs in the state assembly, and unless MLAs are bought off, we will get all the votes," he said.

The Sukhu's remarks have added to the speculations of cross-voting.

Samajwadi Party to take action against MLAs involved in cross-voting

Amid concerns over cross-voting and the party chief whip quitting while polling was underway in the Rajya Sabha elections, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav Tuesday warned action will be taken against such MLAs.

The SP's chief whip in state Assembly Manoj Pandey quit the party on Tuesday, the jolt coming a day after he and seven other MLAs skipped a meeting called by Yadav, raising concerns about cross-voting by some SP legislators during the voting for 10 Rajya Sabha seats.

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People gather outside the counting booth in Shimla

Congress wins 3 Rajya Sabha seats, BJP gets 1

Congress won three seats while BJP bagged one seats in the Rajya Sabha elections in Karnataka on Tuesday. Those who were elected to the Upper House are Ajay Maken, G C Chandrasekhar and Syed Naseer Hussain, all belonging to the Congress, and Narayansa K Bhandage of the BJP. 

Kupendra Reddy, the JD(S) nominee, lost. All three Congress candidates Ajay Maken, Dr Syed Naseer Hussain and GC Chandrashekhar won with 47, 46 and 46 votes respectively.

How many votes did Congress candidates from Karnataka get?

Congress candidates who were elected to the Upper House are Ajay Maken, G C Chandrasekhar and Syed Naseer Hussain.

Ajay Maken, Dr Syed Naseer Hussain and GC Chandrashekhar won with 47, 46 and 46 votes respectively.

BJP MLC Narayansa K Bhandage bagged got 47 votes while JD(S) suffered a setback after its nominee, Kupendra Reddy, got only 36 votes

'Shows the unity of Congress': D K Shivakumar after Congress wins 3 seats in Karnataka in RS polls

After Congress in Karnataka secured three seats in the Rajya Sabha elections on Tuesday, Karnataka deputy CM D K Shivakumar thanked the high-command of the party.

Speaking to the presspersons after the results, he said, "This shows the unity and integrity of Congress. I thank all the MLAs, party workers and the media. I'm very happy to inform you that all Congress candidates have won. I thank all voters, CM and party workers and the AICC President also. I would like to thank Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge."

Counting of votes halts in Uttar Pradesh

'Congress leadership didn't allow party MLAs to fall prey to BJP-JDS tactics', says Syed Naseer Hussain

Congress leader Syed Naseer Hussain, who secured a victory in Rajya Sabha polls on Tuesday, thanked the party's leadership for winning the 3 seats in Karnataka.

Speaking to reporters after the results, he said, "I thank my leadership, especially Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal, Randeep Surjewala, Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar. They worked very hard, they had faith in us. Here, they were closely watching the movements of BJP and JD(S), they didn't allow our MLAs to fall prey to their tactics."

BJP accuses Himachal CM Sukhu of violating model code of conduct

Amid counting of votes for the lone Rajya Sabha seat in Himachal Pradesh, the BJP on Tuesday accused Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu of violating the model code of conduct, news agency PTI reported.

Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur alleged that Sukhu's helicopter was sent to bring Congress MLA from Sudarshan Babloo from Hoshiarpur in Punjab, which he said, is violation of the model code of conduct.

'Despite having majority, Congress lost Rajya Sabha seat', claims LoP Jairam Thakur

Visuals of Himachal Pradesh MLAs arriving at PWD Rest House in Haryana's Panchkula surface

BJP claims victory in Himachal Pradesh

Congress candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi congratulates Harsh Mahajan

Democracy would be destroyed if BJP keeps bringing down elected govts: Kharge on HP RS poll result

With the Congress dispensation in Himachal Pradesh under threat following cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha election Tuesday, party chief Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the BJP saying democracy would be "destroyed" if the Centre's ruling party continues to bring down elected governments.

Congress nominee Abhishek Singhvi lost the lone Rajya Sabha seat in Himachal Pradesh, where his party is in power, to the BJP's Harsh Mahajan amid cross-voting in the election held in Shimla.

Kharge said they would challenge the election as both the candidates got 34 votes each and the decision was taken on the basis of a lottery. via PTI

'We will see when the Assembly session commences': Himachal Pradesh CM on speculations of No Confidence Motion by BJP

'All 8 BJP candidates winning with a thumping majority': Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak

After Himachal, BJP claims win in Uttar Pradesh

BJP claims win in 8 seats in Uttar Pradesh, SP bags two after cross-voting by MLAs