Frenzied lobbying, strategy meetings mark eve of Jharkhand Rajya Sabha polls

A day before the elections for two Rajya Sabha seats, Jharkhand witnessed frenzied political activities on Wednesday, with both the ruling INDIA alliance and the opposition NDA MLAs holding meetings in hotels here to firm up their poll strategies. Three candidates are in the fray for the election. In the INDIA bloc, JMM has fielded Baidyanath Ram and the Congress Pranav Jha. BJP-backed Independent nominee Parimal Nathwani is also in the fray. Jharkhand BJP chief Aditya Sahu asserted that NDA MLAs were united and said, "Several MLAs from the opposition camp will vote as per their conscience and in the larger national interest."

Congress leaders claimed that all 56 MLAs of the ruling INDIA bloc are united and will secure a win in both the Rajya Sabha seats. The BJP, on the other hand, posted on X a photo of 24 NDA MLAs making the victory sign, with the caption, "NDA is ready, Congress will be sidelined." While the JMM has an adequate number to secure one seat, a tough fight between the Congress nominee and the BJP-backed candidate is likely for the second seat.

Nathwani met NDA leaders at a hotel and later said, "I have sought support from all legislators and parties." On the other hand, Congress legislators met at another hotel, where they were given training about the polling exercise. "Last-minute preparations are being done here. In the evening, all the INDIA bloc legislators will meet at the chief minister's residence for the final strategy discussion," Minister Dipika Pandey Singh told reporters and exuded confidence in winning both the seats. RJD and CPI(ML) leaders also met the Congress leaders at the hotel. "I was here for a courtesy visit. All our MLAs are intact, and we (INDIA bloc) will win both the seats," CPI(ML) Liberation legislator Arup Chatterjee said.

Later in the evening, the INDIA bloc legislator held a meeting at the chief minister's residence and exuded confidence of victory in the polls. "JMM has kept 30 votes for a safer side, while it requires only two votes. The Congress and allies have 26 votes. The JMM's additional two votes will be counted in favour of the Congress candidate. "So, there is no confusion. INDIA Bloc candidates are winning both the seats," Congress leader and the state's parliamentary affairs minister Radhakrishna Kishore told reporters.

A candidate is required to secure a minimum of 28 first-preference votes to emerge victorious in the June 18 polls. The BJP-led NDA has 24 MLAs in the Jharkhand assembly, while the INDIA bloc has 56 members. The Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha has one MLA. One of the Rajya Sabha seats in the state fell vacant following the death of JMM co-founder Shibu Soren. The other vacancy occurred as BJP member Deepak Prakash's tenure is set to end on June 21.