Rajya Sabha Election 2022 Live Updates:The high-stakes battle turned out to be a nail-biting affair with the Congress and BJP trading charges, even approaching the Election Commission.
After the BJP managed to win three seats in the Maharashtra Rajya Sabha Polls, in a major blow to the MVA, senior party leader Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said it was a “convincing” victory and attributed it to meticulous planning as well as team work, PTI reported. Speaking to reporters at the Vidhan Bhavan here, Fadnavis also took a dig at Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut, who was one of the candidates in the fray, saying that BJP’s Dhananjay Mahadik secured more votes than him. Meanwhile, NCP Chief Sharad Pawar said it was because the saffron party had managed to win over some of the Independent candidates that were
supporting the ruling alliance. “This has happened largely due to Devendra Fadnavis’s ability to win over people with all the measures at his disposal,” Pawar said. Voting for 16 vacant seats in Rajya Sabha in four states — Rajasthan, Haryana, Karnataka and Maharashtra — concluded at 4 pm on Friday. The high-stakes battle turned out to be a nail-biting affair with the Congress and BJP trading charges, even approaching the Election Commission. In Karnataka, BJP candidates Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, actor-politician Jaggesh and MLC Lehar Singh Siroya won three RS seats for the party, Jairam Ramesh clinched one for Congress while JD(S) drew blank. The Congress hit a home run in Rajasthan, bagging three seats while the BJP won the remaining one. The BJP’s Krishan Lal Panwar and Independent candidate Kartikeya Sharma, backed by the saffron party and its ally JJP, have won the two Rajya Sabha seats from Haryana, officials said early Saturday.
#WATCH I congratulate BJP on their performance. We accept our defeat. We clearly need to introspect on what went right & what went wrong. If you look at the numbers, clearly we didn't have right numbers till the end. But we took a chance…: NCP's Supriya Sule on RS poll result pic.twitter.com/Jf91auL204
— ANI (@ANI) June 11, 2022
Rajya Sabha polls: Sidelined and disgruntled, the two JD(S) MLAs who defied party diktat
While Gubbi legislator S R Srinivas voted for the BJP’s third candidate, Kolar MLA K Srinivasa Gowda said he voted for Congress ‘because I love it’.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai with BJP candidates Jaggesh, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Lehar Singh Siroya celebrate their victory in the Rajya Sabha elections 2022. (PTI)
The BJP in Karnataka bagged three of the four Rajya Sabha seats that were at stake in the elections on Friday after the Congress and its former ally Janata Dal (Secular) could not come to an understanding, leading to cross-voting by two JD(S) legislators. While S R Srinivas voted for Lahar Singh Siroya, ensuring his victory as the third BJP candidate, K Srinivasa Gowda reportedly voted for the Congress’s second candidate Mansoor Ali Khan, the son of former Congress Rajya Sabha member K Rahman Khan. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, actor Jaggesh, and Siroya sailed through for the BJP. Former Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh of the Congress was the only Opposition candidate to win. Mansoor Ali Khan and JD(S)’s Kupendra Reddy, a former Rajya Sabha MP and a real estate businessman, did not make it through. S R Srinivas, the 59-year-old former minister and four-time JD(S) MLA from Tumkur’s Gubbi constituency, claimed that he “voted for his JD (S) party candidate” in the Rajya Sabha polls as per the instructions of the party leadership. Former chief minister and party leader H D Kumaraswamy, however, accused Srinivas of voting for Siroya, adding that he camouflaged his vote while showing his ballot paper to a JD(S) observer. Over the last three years, Srinivas has been relegated to the sidelines of the JD (S) following differences with Kumaraswamy and the top leadership. He was a member of the JD(S)-Congress Cabinet during Kumaraswamy’s tenure as CM. His relationship with Kumaraswamy is said to have worsened after the party reportedly began cold-shouldering him. Kumaraswamy has also accused him of being a “liar” and a “cheat”. Srinivas has also reportedly been tipped to cross over to the Congress or the BJP in the next polls.
‘BJP’s sin, why should people suffer?’: Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Howrah violence
In parts of the Howrah district, protesters pelted stones at the police who tried to pacify a mob, destroyed several vehicles, and set police kiosks, several two-wheelers and other vehicles on fire.
Flames and smoke rise from vehicles on fire, that were allegedly set ablaze by miscreants during a protest over controversial remarks made by two now-suspended BJP leaders about Prophet Mohammad, in Howrah. (PTI)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said some political parties were responsible for the violent protests in the Howrah district for the last two days. She added that strict action will be taken against those who were trying to instigate violence. Banerjee also questioned why should people suffer because of the “sin” committed by BJP. “As I have said before, violent incidents have been taking place in Howrah for two days now. There are some political parties behind this and they want to cause riots – but these will not be tolerated and strict action will be taken against all of them. BJP sin, people will suffer?,” Banerjee tweeted. Violent protests erupted in rural parts of the Howrah district over controversial remarks against Prophet Mohammad made by suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. Protesters pelted stones at the police who tried to pacify a mob, destroyed several vehicles, and set police kiosks, several two-wheelers and other vehicles on fire. In Kolkata, protesters also blocked Park Circus seven-point crossing for over two hours demanding the arrest of Nupur Sharma. Police imposed Section 144 of CrPC in several areas of the Howrah district on Friday. The West Bengal government also temporarily suspended internet services in several parts of the Howrah district to rein in the unrest.
BJP suspends Raj MLA Shobha Rani for cross-voting in RS polls
Remarks against the Prophet: 2 killed in Ranchi as protests erupt across country
The protests also turned violent in UP’s Prayagraj and West Bengal’s Howrah. The protests in Delhi and parts of Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, Bihar and Maharashtra were peaceful even as a shutdown was observed in Srinagar.
Security personnel disperse protesters in Prayagraj. Ritesh shukla
At least two persons died of a bullet injuriesin Jharkhand’s Ranchi, where the police fired in the air to disperse a crowd pelting stones, as protests erupted in several towns and cities across the country on Friday against derogatory references to the Prophet made by former BJP spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal. The protests also turned violent in UP’s Prayagrajand West Bengal’s Howrah. The protests in Delhi and parts of Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, Bihar and Maharashtra were peaceful even as a shutdown was observed in Srinagar. Internet services were suspended till 6 am on Saturday in Ranchi and 6 am on Monday in Howrah. In Delhi, the Shahi Imam distanced himself from the protest and called for reconciliation. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), meanwhile, appealed to Islamic scholars and intellectuals to not participate in “those television debates in which the sole intention is to…insult Islam and Muslims”. Sharma’s comments were madeduring a TV debate.The protests came days after the remarks of Sharma and Jindal were criticised by over a dozen countries, including the Gulf nations, with India responding that they “do not reflect the views of the Government”. Sharma has since been suspended and Jindal expelled from the BJP. The protests came days after the remarks of Sharma and Jindal were criticised by over a dozen countries, including the Gulf nations, with India responding that they “do not reflect the views of the Government”. Sharma has since been suspended and Jindal expelled from the BJP.
Protests in Kolkata on Friday over remarks made by ex-BJP spokespersons on Prophet Mohammad. (Express Photo: Partha Paul)
In Ranchi, the police fired in the air to disperse a gathering that pelted stones, injuring Ranchi SSP Surendra Jha, another officer, and a policeman. Jha suffered a concussion after a stone hit the helmet he was wearing. The district administration later imposed prohibitory orders in the Main Road area.
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