BJP wins both RS seats in Jharkhand

Ranchi, June 11: The ruling BJP clinched both Rajya Sabha seats in Jharkhand on Saturday as cross-voting helped the party to defeat the united opposition.

In the 81-member assembly, 79 legislators cast their votes. JMM MLA Charma Linda and Congress�MLA Devendra Singh could�not cast their vote.

BJP candidate and Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi secured 29 votes while second candidate Mahesh Podaar secured 24. JMM candidate Basant Soren managed to secure 26 votes.�

The minimum number of votes required to win was 28.�

Earlier, in the day police said JMM MLA Chamra Linda was�arrested following a 2013 arrest warrant in connection with a�scuffle with the guards near the assembly gates.

The Congress MLA also could not vote as he too faced an�arrest warrant.

But another Congress MLA Nirmla Devi, who too is facing a�warrant, managed to cast her vote as she was escorted by JMM�working president and former chief minister Hemant Soren into�the assembly.

BJP candidate Poddar won the election on the basis of second preference votes.�

Two legislators — Chamra Linda of the JMM and Devendra Singh of Congress — did not turn up for voting.�

Saturday’s cross-voting came at a time when the CBI is probing allegations of horse trading in previous elections to Rajya Sabha seats from the state.�

JVM-P President Babulal Marandi said: “The BJP is murdering democracy. Money power played a key role in the Rajya Sabha poll.”

Senior BJP leader Prem Kataruka and Arjun Munda greeted Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Mahesh Poddar for winning both the Rajya Sabha seats in Jharkhand for the party.

“Their win will strengthen the party in the Rajya Sabha,” Kataruka said here.

Naqvi, the Union Minister of State for Minority and Parliamentary Affairs and party leader Mahesh Poddar won the two seats, election for which was held during the day.

Former Jharkhand chief minister Arjun Munda too greeted Naqvi and Poddar on their win.

Munda said he felt elated with BJP winning both the seats from the state.