New Delhi: The elections for 13 Rajya Sabha seats across six states falling vacant in April will be held today. Elections will be held for 13 seats across six states — Assam (2), Himachal (1), Kerala (3), Nagaland (1), Tripura (1), and Punjab (5).
While five members of Punjab are retiring on April 9, those from the rest of the states are retiring on April 2. The counting of votes will be undertaken post-5 pm today.
With the BJP winning in four out of five states in recently concluded Assembly polls in five states, it eyes victory in at least five seats. The saffron party currently has a strength of 97 in the 245-member Rajya Sabha.
While BJP aims to win at least 4 Rajya Sabha seats in the northeastern states – Assam, Nagaland, and Tripura, the Aam Aadmi Party which registered a thumping win in Punjab Assembly elections is confident of winning the five seats in Punjab.
In the north-eastern state of Assam, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has pledged that the NDA will win both seats, with the BJP nominating Pabitra Margherita and its partner UPPL United People’s Party – Liberal (UPPL) supporting Rwngwra Narzary. Ripun Bora, on the other side, has been named as Congress’s candidate.
Rajya Sabha will be bidding farewell today to 72 members retiring from the House who will be retiring from their services till August this year.
How voting is done in Rajya Sabha elections?
A third of Rajya Sabha Members from each state retire every two years after serving for a tenure of six years. Only elected members of the state assemblies vote in a Rajya Sabha election. They mark their preference for the candidates as 1, 2 3… in order of their first, second or third choice. In all the states, the ruling party will have an edge over the opposition parties.