Rajya Sabha Elections: Polling begins in UP, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh
41 candidates win unopposed, three states witnessingRajya
The Rajya Sabha biennial elections will witness polling in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday, with 41 candidates already securing their seats unopposed in the Upper House due to the absence of opposition.
Focus on three key states: Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh
These three states will see polling for a total of 15 seats – 10 in Uttar Pradesh, 4 in Karnataka, and 1 in Himachal Pradesh. Polling will be held from 9 am to 4 pm, and counting will take place on the same day from 5 pm onwards.
Shadow of cross-voting looms large
The elections are overshadowed by concerns about potential cross-voting, with parties keeping a close eye on their MLAs. In Karnataka, the ruling Congress, anticipating potential defections, has moved all its MLAs to a hotel ahead of the polls.
Five candidates in contention for four Karnataka seats
Five candidates are vying for the four Rajya Sabha seats in Karnataka: Ajay Maken, Syed Naseer Hussain, and G C Chandrasekhar (all Congress), Narayansa Bhandage (BJP), and Kupendra Reddy (JD(S)). All parties have issued whips to their MLAs, who constitute the voters in this election, in an attempt to prevent cross-voting.
The outcome of the elections in these three states will be crucial in shaping the composition of the Rajya Sabha.
