Former U'khand CM Koshiyari wins lone Rajya Sabha seat

Dehra Dun, Nov 21 (UNI) Former Uttarakhand chief minister and state BJP chief Bhagat Singh Koshiyari has won the lone Rajya Sabha seat from the state defeating Independent candidate Manish Verma after the Congress abstained from voting in the polls today.

Mr Koshiyari was pipped to win the Rajya Sabha berth after the Congress High Command issued the whip to its members to abstain from voting, leaving Mr Verma stranded without support.

Seven Congress MLAs had supported Mr Verma when he had filed his nomination but on Thursday, 15 MLAs decided against supporting him, leaving the ground victorious for Mr Koshiyari to occupy the Rajya Sabha seat vacated by former PCC Chief Harish Rawat. The former chief minister got 42 votes.

The ruling BJP has 36 MLAs in the 70-member Assembly while the Congress has 20 MLAs. The BSP, which has eight legislators, also abstained from voting. The UKD has three legislators.

Voting began at 0900 hrs this morning and ended at 1600 hrs.

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