Congress leaders Mukul Wasnik, Randeep Surjewala and Pramod Tiwari, and BJP’s Ghanshyam Tiwari are set to join their colleagues in the Rajya Sabha as the party’s faces from Rajasthan. However, BJP-backed independent candidate and media baron Subhash Chandra failed to make the cut with 30 votes in his kitty.
According to latest available figures, Wasnik got 42 votes, Tiwari – 41, Surjewala – 43 and Tiwari – 43. In Rajasthan’s 200-seat Assembly, the Congress has 108 legislators and the BJP 71.
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Chief minister Ashok Gehlot congratulated the winners in a tweet. “Congress’s victory on three Rajya Sabha seats in Rajasthan is a victory of democracy. I congratulate all the three newly elected MPs Shri Pramod Tiwari, Shri Mukul Wasnik and Shri Randeep Surjewala. I am sure that all the three MPs will be able to strongly advocate the rights of Rajasthan in Delhi,” Gehlot tweeted.
Also read | ‘Victory of democracy…’, says Rajasthan CM Gehlot
The BJP later suspended its MLA Shobharani Kushwah for cross-voting in favour of Congress’s Tiwari in the election. Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria issued an order stating Kushwah voted for Tiwari despite a whip and that she was being suspended from the BJP’s primary membership.
Speaking to reporters, Tiwari said, “I am thankful to the state and the central leadership for making me the candidate. I got 43 votes.”
Chandra had earlier said that eight Congress MLAs may vote for him in the Rajya Sabha polls and even asked former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot to also cross sides.
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