Rajya Sabha Elections 2024: Congress Wins 3 Seats In Karnataka, BJP Bags One After Cross-Voting

Congress triumphed in the Rajya Sabha elections in Karnataka on Tuesday as the grand-old party clinched three seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured victory on one seat. According to the reports, cross-voting happened by one of the BJP MLAs in favor of Karnataka's ruling Congress.

Karnataka sends four members to the upper house.

As per the result, Congress candidates Ajay Maken, Nasser Hussain, and GC Chandrashekar have emerged victorious, securing 47, 46, and 46 votes respectively.

On the other side, BJP's Narayana Bandige has been elected to the Rajya Sabha.

The reports said BJP MLA ST Somashekar voted in favor of Congress leader Ajay Maken. However, BJP lawmaker Arbail Shivaram Hebbar abstained from voting.

After the results were announced, Karnataka Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar 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."

As per the data shared by the Elections Commission of India, the voting for Rajya Sabha in Karnataka noted 99.5 % turnout.

The contest was poised by JD(S) after the state party fielded D Kupendra Reddy as the fifth candidate in the four-member contest.

In the recent round of elections, 41 candidates, including BJP national president JP Nadda, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Railways Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw, and former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, secured their positions in the Rajya Sabha uncontested.

A tense competition between the BJP and SP is unfolding in Uttar Pradesh. While the ruling BJP and the opposition SP have enough support to elect seven and three members respectively unopposed to the Rajya Sabha, the BJP introduced Sanjay Seth as its eighth candidate, injecting a twist into the polls.