Jharkhand saw surprise cross-voting in RS polls as Nathwani, supported by NDA, emerged victorious.

Ranchi was abuzz with political turmoil as the results of the Rajya Sabha elections from Jharkhand were announced on Thursday. It was a major upset for the ruling alliance as NDA-supported Independent candidate Parimal Nathwani emerged victorious, thanks to cross-voting within the Assembly. This came as a shock to many, as the INDIA bloc, which holds a comfortable majority in the Assembly, was confident of their candidate's win.

Nathwani's triumph over Congress nominee Pranav Jha was a significant blow to the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, who were able to secure the election of their candidate Baidyanath Ram. The Congress, on the other hand, suffered an unexpected setback as their candidate failed to garner enough support from their alliance partners. This resulted in NDA winning one of the state's two Rajya Sabha seats, with Nathwani securing a surprising victory despite having only 24 MLAs in the 81-member Assembly.

The final tally showed Ram securing 30 valid votes, comfortably securing his seat, while Nathwani received 28 votes, crossing the winning mark. Congress' Jha, on the other hand, managed to secure only 20 votes. The counting process also revealed three invalid votes, with two in favor of Nathwani and one in favor of the Congress candidate.

However, these cancellations did not affect Nathwani's decisive lead over Jha, and he was declared the winner. This unexpected outcome was a major embarrassment for the INDIA bloc, which holds a majority of 56 members in the Assembly and should have had enough strength to win both seats. However, the NDA, with only 24 legislators, was four votes short of the 28 first-preference votes required for a seat.

Nathwani's victory was made possible through cross-voting and support from legislators outside the BJP-led alliance. Shortly after the results were announced, Jharkhand Congress in-charge K. Raju alleged that MLAs from alliance partners Rashtriya Janata Dal and the CPI-ML did not support their candidate.

The RJD has four MLAs, while the CPI-ML has two members in the Assembly. The election had generated intense political interest in the state, with both the ruling coalition and the opposition engaging in extensive consultations and strategy meetings in the days leading up to the polling. The INDIA bloc had fielded two candidates, JMM's Baidyanath Ram and Congress' Jha, banking on their numerical advantage.

On the other hand, Nathwani contested as an Independent with the backing of the NDA. The voting process took place peacefully in the Assembly complex, with all 81 legislators casting their ballots. Chief Minister Hemant Soren, cabinet ministers, and leaders from both the ruling and opposition parties participated in the polling, with JMM leader and minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu casting the final vote.

Expressing his gratitude after his victory, Nathwani stated that this mandate holds special significance as Jharkhand was the state where his parliamentary journey began. In a post on X, he said, "I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve a fourth term in the Rajya Sabha. This is my third term from Jharkhand, the land where my parliamentary journey commenced in 2008.

It is a matter of immense pride and humility to return once again to my karmabhoomi." He also thanked all the legislators who supported him and promised to continue working for the development and aspirations of Jharkhand. "With renewed commitment and sincerity, every effort will continue to advance the interests and aspirations of Jharkhand and its people. Johar Jharkhand," he added.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey also congratulated Nathwani on his victory and labeled the result as a significant setback for the Mahagathbandhan. He noted that the NDA-backed candidate secured 28 votes against the Congress nominee's 20. This outcome is being viewed as one of the biggest political surprises in Jharkhand in recent years, exposing cracks within the INDIA bloc and raising questions about coordination among its constituent parties, despite their clear numerical advantage in the Assembly.

It was indeed an eventful day in Ranchi, with the unexpected victory of Nathwani making headlines in Orissa POST, Odisha's No.1 English Daily.