The voting for 58 vacant seats in the Rajya Sabha began at 9 am. Of the 58 seats in the Upper House to be filled, 33 candidates from 10 states have been unanimously elected. Voting for the remaining 25 seats is underway in six states. Counting of votes for Rajya Sabha election will begin from 5 pm onwards. Results are expected to be announced the same evening.
Rajya Sabha elections 2018 LIVE Updates: Kunda MLA Raja Bhaiya meets Akhilesh Yadav
The most-watched state would be Uttar Pradesh where the BJP has fielded 9 candidates while the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party one each. To ensure a win from UP, each candidate would need to get 37 preference votes. With the BJP and allies having 324 MLAs in the UP Legislative Assembly, the BJP will have no problem in sending 8 of its candidates to the Upper House of Parliament. While the elections in Uttar Pradesh are being watched closely, contests are on in six other states as well; West Bengal, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Kerala and Telangana.
After electing 8 candidates, the BJP would still have 28 surplus votes. This would mean the BJP would need an additional 9 votes to ensure that its 9th candidate is elected to the Rajya Sabha. The BJP would count on the votes of Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party which has four MLAs. The BJP can also bank on Naresh Agarwal's son, Nitin Agarwal's vote which would take the tally up to five.
Rajya Sabha seats due to fall vacant next month are from 16 states.For the 58 Rajya Sabha seats to be filled, 33 candidates from 10 states have been unanimously elected.
Rajya Sabha elections 2018 Live updates:
Mar 23, 2018, 4:49 PM IST
Polls ends in Karnataka. 178 votes were polled. Result declaration will take about an hour.
Mar 23, 2018, 4:24 PM IST
All India Congress Committee gives a memorandum to EC requesting it to issue directions to the concerned Returning Officer to cancel vote cast by Jharkhand Vikas Morcha MLA Prakash Ram alleging he intentionally didn't show ballot paper and concealed marked column.
Mar 23, 2018, 4:17 PM IST
Counting of votes in Uttar Pradesh and five other states to begin at 5 PM.
Mar 23, 2018, 4:03 PM IST
"Money power being used in Uttar Pradesh Rajya Sabha elections", says Congress leader Tehseen Poonawalla.
"It is upto the Election Commission of India to ensure free and fair Rajya Sabha Elections especially in Uttar Pradesh. We know money power is used to take away SP MLAs & muscle power to keep Mukhtar Ansari on jail. Shame is the #rajyasabhaelection is biased
#RajyaSabhaElection", he further added.
It is upto the Election Commission of India to ensure free and fair #RajyaSabhaElections specially in Uttar Pradesh. We know money power is used to take away SP MLAs & muscle power to keep Mukhtar Ansari on jail. Shame is the #rajyasabhaelection is biased #RajyaSabhaElection
Also, Raja Bhaiya met UP CM Yogi Adityanath. He says, "Just went for a formal meeting with him, we did not talk about votes."
Mar 23, 2018, 3:21 PM IST
Samajwadi Party’s Raja Bhaiya meets Akhilesh Yadav. Akhilesh thanks him for supporting Samajwadi Party.
Mar 23, 2018, 3:13 PM IST
Uttar Pradesh: Polling almost over, in the end, Samajwadi Party has transferred 10 votes to BSP, Congress has transferred all 7, RLD's 1 and BSP gets its 17.
Mar 23, 2018, 2:01 PM IST
JDS' Kumaraswamy says, "2 Congress MLAs cross-voted in Karnataka RS polls."
Mar 23, 2018, 12:27 PM IST
Polling stopped for minutes in Karnataka Assembly after a ruckus broke out between JD (S) and polling officer over wrong voting by Congress leaders Kagodu Thimmappa and Baburao Chinchanasur
"Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Rajeev Chandrasekhar will get at least 50 votes. He will win with a majority. I congratulate all MLAs voting for him," News18 quoted Karnatka BJP president BS Yeddyurappa as saying.
Mar 23, 2018, 11:25 AM IST
Nitin Agrawal, BJP (son of Naresh Agrawal), told ANI, "All the 9 candidates of BJP will win. SP insulted their workers and people will answer them for choosing a candidate that entertains the society rather than one who serves the society."
Anil Singh, BSP MLA, says, "I have voted for BJP, I don't know about the rest."
The fight for 10 Rajya Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh will be hotly contested ad the BJP trying to avenge the Gorkahpur and Phulpur bypoll loss against the BSP and Samajwadi Party who had joined hands to snatch two Lok Sabha seats away from the saffron aprty
Mar 23, 2018, 10:21 AM IST
Voting underway at Vidhan Soudha in Bengaluru for four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka
Mar 23, 2018, 10:18 AM IST
Voting underway at Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly in Raipur for one Rajya Sabha seat from the state
Mar 23, 2018, 10:04 AM IST
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah meets Congress MLAs at Vidhan Soudha
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, says, "BJP will win all the nine Rajya Sabha seats where we have fielded our candidates. Nine more BJP candidates will make entry to Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh this time."
Mar 23, 2018, 9:57 AM IST
BJP will win all the nine Rajya Sabha seats where we have fielded our candidates. Nine more BJP candidates will make entry to Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh this time: Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.
Mar 23, 2018, 9:56 AM IST
"There will be no cross-voting, but yes BJP MLAs will cross-vote in our favour," says SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav.
Mar 23, 2018, 9:55 AM IST
"There will be no cross-voting, but yes BJP MLAs will cross-vote in our favour," says Ram Gopal Yadav.
Mar 23, 2018, 9:43 AM IST
Visuals from West Bengal Assembly. MLAs ready to cast their votes for Rajya Sabha Elections.
Senior BJP leaders Prakash Javdekar, BS Yeddyurappa and party's Rajya Sabha candidate Rajeev Chandrashekar at their party office in Vidhan Soudha.
Mar 23, 2018, 9:25 AM IST
"Vijay Mishra (Nishad Party MLA) and Anil Singh (BSP MLA) were present in yesterday's meeting of BJP and its allies), which confirms their support," says OP Rajbhar, UP Minister #RajyaSabhaElections
Mar 23, 2018, 9:04 AM IST
Voting for 25 Rajya Sabha seats begins in six states.
Mar 23, 2018, 8:53 AM IST
Rajendra Chaudhary, SP leader, says, "SP candidate Jaya Bachchan Ji and BSP candidate, (Bhim Rao Ambedkar) whom we are supporting, will win the Rajya Sabha elections. Considering BJP's condition I'd say that its own MLAs are annoyed and some of them may even end up siding with the opposition."
Mar 23, 2018, 8:29 AM IST
Voting to be held from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Mar 23, 2018, 7:22 AM IST
All eyes on the big fight in UP as Mayawati seeks support of SP.
Mar 23, 2018, 7:22 AM IST
Maywati has asked for a dedicated list of SP MLAs who would vote for her.
Mar 23, 2018, 7:22 AM IST
In Karnataka an interesting battle between JD(S) and the Congress’ third candidate. Rebel JD(S) MLAs threaten to vote for Congress.
READ MORE
Mar 23, 2018, 7:21 am IST
BJP will stay away from RS polls in Telangana.
Mar 23, 2018, 7:22 am IST
In Karnataka an interesting battle between JD(S) and the Congress’ third candidate. Rebel JD(S) MLAs threaten to vote for Congress.
Mar 23, 2018, 7:22 am IST
Maywati has asked for a dedicated list of SP MLAs who would vote for her.
Mar 23, 2018, 7:22 am IST
All eyes on the big fight in UP as Mayawati seeks support of SP.
Mar 23, 2018, 8:29 am IST
Voting to be held from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Mar 23, 2018, 8:53 am IST
Rajendra Chaudhary, SP leader, says, "SP candidate Jaya Bachchan Ji and BSP candidate, (Bhim Rao Ambedkar) whom we are supporting, will win the Rajya Sabha elections. Considering BJP's condition I'd say that its own MLAs are annoyed and some of them may even end up siding with the opposition."
Mar 23, 2018, 9:04 am IST
Voting for 25 Rajya Sabha seats begins in six states.
Mar 23, 2018, 9:25 am IST
"Vijay Mishra (Nishad Party MLA) and Anil Singh (BSP MLA) were present in yesterday's meeting of BJP and its allies), which confirms their support," says OP Rajbhar, UP Minister #RajyaSabhaElections
Mar 23, 2018, 9:34 am IST
Senior BJP leaders Prakash Javdekar, BS Yeddyurappa and party's Rajya Sabha candidate Rajeev Chandrashekar at their party office in Vidhan Soudha.
Mar 23, 2018, 9:43 am IST
Visuals from West Bengal Assembly. MLAs ready to cast their votes for Rajya Sabha Elections.
"There will be no cross-voting, but yes BJP MLAs will cross-vote in our favour," says Ram Gopal Yadav.
Mar 23, 2018, 9:56 am IST
"There will be no cross-voting, but yes BJP MLAs will cross-vote in our favour," says SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav.
Mar 23, 2018, 9:57 am IST
BJP will win all the nine Rajya Sabha seats where we have fielded our candidates. Nine more BJP candidates will make entry to Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh this time: Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.
Mar 23, 2018, 10:01 am IST
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, says, "BJP will win all the nine Rajya Sabha seats where we have fielded our candidates. Nine more BJP candidates will make entry to Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh this time."
Mar 23, 2018, 10:04 am IST
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah meets Congress MLAs at Vidhan Soudha
Voting underway at Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly in Raipur for one Rajya Sabha seat from the state
Mar 23, 2018, 10:21 am IST
Voting underway at Vidhan Soudha in Bengaluru for four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka
Mar 23, 2018, 10:40 am IST
Anil Singh, BSP MLA, says, "I have voted for BJP, I don't know about the rest." The fight for 10 Rajya Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh will be hotly contested ad the BJP trying to avenge the Gorkahpur and Phulpur bypoll loss against the BSP and Samajwadi Party who had joined hands to snatch two Lok Sabha seats away from the saffron aprty
Nitin Agrawal, BJP (son of Naresh Agrawal), told ANI, "All the 9 candidates of BJP will win. SP insulted their workers and people will answer them for choosing a candidate that entertains the society rather than one who serves the society."
Mar 23, 2018, 11:26 am IST
"Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Rajeev Chandrasekhar will get at least 50 votes. He will win with a majority. I congratulate all MLAs voting for him," News18 quoted Karnatka BJP president BS Yeddyurappa as saying.
Polling stopped for minutes in Karnataka Assembly after a ruckus broke out between JD (S) and polling officer over wrong voting by Congress leaders Kagodu Thimmappa and Baburao Chinchanasur
Mar 23, 2018, 2:01 pm IST
JDS' Kumaraswamy says, "2 Congress MLAs cross-voted in Karnataka RS polls."
Mar 23, 2018, 3:13 pm IST
Uttar Pradesh: Polling almost over, in the end, Samajwadi Party has transferred 10 votes to BSP, Congress has transferred all 7, RLD's 1 and BSP gets its 17.
Mar 23, 2018, 3:21 pm IST
Samajwadi Party’s Raja Bhaiya meets Akhilesh Yadav. Akhilesh thanks him for supporting Samajwadi Party.
Mar 23, 2018, 3:33 pm IST
Also, Raja Bhaiya met UP CM Yogi Adityanath. He says, "Just went for a formal meeting with him, we did not talk about votes."
Mar 23, 2018, 4:03 pm IST
"Money power being used in Uttar Pradesh Rajya Sabha elections", says Congress leader Tehseen Poonawalla.
"It is upto the Election Commission of India to ensure free and fair Rajya Sabha Elections especially in Uttar Pradesh. We know money power is used to take away SP MLAs & muscle power to keep Mukhtar Ansari on jail. Shame is the #rajyasabhaelection is biased
#RajyaSabhaElection", he further added.
It is upto the Election Commission of India to ensure free and fair #RajyaSabhaElections specially in Uttar Pradesh. We know money power is used to take away SP MLAs & muscle power to keep Mukhtar Ansari on jail. Shame is the #rajyasabhaelection is biased #RajyaSabhaElection
Counting of votes in Uttar Pradesh and five other states to begin at 5 PM.
Mar 23, 2018, 4:24 pm IST
All India Congress Committee gives a memorandum to EC requesting it to issue directions to the concerned Returning Officer to cancel vote cast by Jharkhand Vikas Morcha MLA Prakash Ram alleging he intentionally didn't show ballot paper and concealed marked column.
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