Three BJP candidates and one Congress nominee won in the elections to four Rajya Sabha seats from Gujarat, the results of which were declared after high drama on Friday.
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BJP candidates Abhay Bhardwaj, Ramila Bara and Narhari Amin, a former Deputy Chief Minister, were declared elected. Congress candidate and AICC spokesman Shaktisinh Gohil also won. Another Congress candidate Bharatsinh Solanki, former State party chief and Union Minister, lost.
Mr. Bara and Mr. Bhardwaj each received 36 votes and Mr. Amin polled 34 votes. Mr. Gohil polled 36 votes and Mr. Solanki received 30 votes as against the required 34.
The counting of votes was delayed as the Congress demanded that the Election Commission invalidate two BJP votes on different grounds. Leader of the Opposition Paresh Dhanani said the Congress sought cancellation of the votes cast by BJP MLA Kesrisinh Solanki and Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama.
The Congress objected to Mr. Chudasama casting his vote on the ground that his election was annulled by the Gujarat High Court last month. The Supreme Court has stayed the High Court’s order. The Congress said an unauthorised person accompanied Mr. Kesrisinh Solanki into the polling booth. The Congress was referring to a person who was employed to push his wheelchair as Mr. Kesrisinh Solanki came to vote directly from hospital.
The observer rejected the objections, which were referred to the Election Commission. After two hours of deliberations, the Election Commission dismissed the objections and allowed the counting to proceed.
During the voting, 103 BJP members, 65 Congress members, the lone NCP MLA and Independent legislator Jignesh Mevani cast their ballots. Bharatiya Tribal Party MLAs Chhotubhai Vasava and his son Mahesh Vasava abstained from voting on the ground that their demands for development of the tribals were not met either by the BJP or by the Congress.
In the days leading to the election, the Opposition suffered a setback as eight of its legislators resigned from the House, bringing down its tally from 73 to 65. In the 182-member Assembly, 10 seats are vacant.
