Chandigarh, March 16: Legislators in Haryana gathered at the state assembly on Monday to elect two representatives to the Rajya Sabha, with nearly the entire House participating in the vote. The session was marked by the absence of the INLD, which opted to stay away from the polls rather than offer support to the opposition camp.
The Chief Electoral Officer asserted that 88 votes were successfully recorded by the 4 p.m. deadline. He maintained that while the schedule called for counting to begin at 5 p.m., a brief delay was expected to address a formal objection regarding voting secrecy. This objection was noted by government officials during the balloting of a Congress legislator.
The BJP expressed significant determination during the process, ensuring all 48 of its MLAs, including those facing health challenges, were present to support candidate Sanjay Bhatia. Minister Anil Vij notably attended the session in a wheelchair. On the opposite side, the Congress party maintained a united front, bringing its 37 MLAs together to vote for Karamvir Boudh.
“We wanted to do something meaningful for the state,” one candidate declared while discussing the importance of the representation. The Congress cohort included notable figures such as Vinesh Phogat and ailing member Mohd Ilyas, ensuring every available vote was accounted for.
The INLD’s decision to abstain was maintained as a strategic move to avoid alignment with the Congress. With the polling phase complete, the administration affirmed that the final results would be announced once the Election Commission provides clearance on the procedural concerns raised during the day.
