Rajya Sabha Election Results: NDA secures clean sweep in Bihar as all 5 candidates declared winners

The Election Commission has resolved two of the three objections raised by the Congress and the BJP regarding the Haryana Rajya Sabha election. Congress’ plea to invalidate the vote of BJP MLA and Cabinet Minister Anil Vij was rejected, and his vote has been declared valid. The vote of Bharat Beniwal has also been upheld as valid. However, the BJP’s objection against Congress MLA Parmvir Singh was accepted, and his vote was declared invalid.

Dillip Ray secured a significant victory in the Rajya Sabha elections from Odisha, winning the fourth and most closely contested seat. Contesting as an independent candidate with the backing of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Ray defeated joint opposition nominee Datteswar Hota, who was supported by the Biju Janata Dal, Indian National Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist). 

Former minister and Congress MLA Ashok Arora said that the objections raised by both Congress and BJP regarding the secrecy of votes have not yet been addressed by the Election Commission. The counting of votes can only begin once these objections are resolved, and the Election Commission will decide when the process will start. Regarding reports of cross-voting by Congress MLAs, Arora clarified that only authorised polling agents or the MLAs themselves can confirm such claims. “As of now, we have no information about any cross-voting, nor has the party received any such reports,” he added.

Rajya Sabha Elections: Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav says, "As far as our candidate is concerned, we received 37 votes, while Shivesh, the BJP's fifth candidate, received only 30 votes, and a recounting is underway. We want the counting process to be fair, not under any pressure. If Shivesh Ram gets 30 votes and we get 37, then we are winning this election. If the ruling party is getting it recounted, it means they've lost and are trying to force a victory. Dishonesty is the BJP's job."

In Bihar, all five NDA candidates have secured victory in the Rajya Sabha elections. Based on first-preference votes, the results were:

1. Nitish Kumar – 44 votes
2. Nitin Nabin – 44 votes
3. Ramnath Thakur – 42 votes
4. Upendra Kushwaha – 42 votes
5. Shivesh Ram – 30 votes

Shivesh Ram, the fifth candidate, secured his seat through second-preference votes.

Ahead of the Haryana Rajya Sabha vote counting, both Congress and BJP have raised objections regarding the secrecy of some MLAs’ votes. The Congress has filed a complaint over the voting secrecy of Cabinet Minister and BJP MLA Anil Vij. In response, the BJP raised objections regarding Congress MLAs Parmveer Singh and Bharat Beniwal.

In Odisha, three Congress MLAs reportedly went against the party line during the Rajya Sabha elections. Sofia Firdous (Barabati-Cuttack), Ramesh Chandra Jena (Sanakhemundi), and Dasarathi Gomango (Mohana) voted against the joint BJD-Congress candidate and supported BJP-backed businessman Dillip Ray.

Reports of cross-voting by Congress MLAs surfaced in Odisha. Odisha Pradesh Congress President Bhakta Charan Das confirmed the development. For the state’s four Rajya Sabha seats, five candidates are in the fray. BJP has fielded Manmohan Samal and Sujit Kumar, while BJD’s Santrupta Mishra is contesting. Independent candidate Dillip Ray has BJP backing. The joint BJD-Congress candidate is Dr. Datteshwar Hota, also supported by the CPI(M).

The Mahagathbandhan faced a major setback in Bihar’s Rajya Sabha elections as four of its MLAs did not cast their votes. RJD’s Faisal Rahman and Congress MLAs Manohar Prasad, Surendra Kushwaha, and Manoj Vishwas were among those absent from voting.

According to sources, all five NDA candidates are set to win, with the fifth candidate securing victory through second-preference votes. Shivesh Ram, the NDA’s fifth candidate, told India TV that his lead came thanks to these second-preference votes.

Voting took place today for 11 Rajya Sabha seats in three states, with results expected shortly. Out of the total 37 seats up for election this year, 26 candidates were already elected unopposed. Today’s polls covered five seats in Bihar, two in Haryana, and four in Odisha. Bihar had six candidates contesting for its five seats, Haryana had three candidates for two seats, and Odisha had five candidates competing for four seats.