Ranchi, June 18: The results of the Rajya Sabha elections for two seats in Jharkhand have raised new questions in the state’s political landscape. Despite having a sufficient number of legislators in the assembly, the INDIA alliance failed to secure victories for both of its candidates. The election results indicate significant cross voting, which directly benefited the NDA-supported independent candidate, Parimal Nathwani.
Jharkhand Congress in-charge K. Raju accused the RJD and CPI (ML) of betraying the party, leading to the defeat of the Congress candidate. However, there has been no immediate response from either party regarding these allegations. All 81 legislators exercised their voting rights in the Rajya Sabha elections. The counting revealed that JMM candidate Baijnath Ram received 31 votes and was declared the winner.
Independent candidate Parimal Nathwani, supported by the NDA, garnered 30 votes, with two votes declared invalid. Thus, he secured victory based on 28 valid votes. Congress candidate Pranav Jha received 20 votes, with one vote invalidated. The NDA holds a total of 24 legislators in the Jharkhand Assembly, including BJP, AJSU, JD(U), and LJP.
Despite this, Nathwani’s acquisition of 30 votes suggests he received support from the opposition camp. The two invalid votes did not hinder his path to victory, as he obtained the necessary 28 votes. On the other hand, the INDIA alliance has a total of 56 legislators, which should have been sufficient for winning both seats. The alliance comprises 34 JMM, 16 Congress, four RJD, and two CPI (ML) legislators. Nevertheless, Congress candidate Pranav Jha did not receive the expected support and faced defeat.
Political circles are abuzz with discussions that at least seven legislators voted against the alliance’s line. There has been no official confirmation regarding which party’s legislators participated in the cross voting. Following the results, Congress has begun questioning its allied parties.
Political analysts believe that the outcomes of the Rajya Sabha elections have once again highlighted the tradition of cross voting in Jharkhand’s politics. Nathwani’s victory, despite the lower number of assembly seats, indicates that political chemistry played a crucial role behind the electoral math. Meanwhile, the defeat of the Congress candidate has raised new questions about coordination and trust within the INDIA alliance.
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