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🇮🇳 India /Elections & Politics

Congress alleges 'betrayal' after candidate's Rajya Sabha poll defeat in Jharkhand

From Hindustan Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • A Congress leader alleged betrayal within the opposition alliance after their candidate lost a Rajya Sabha election in Jharkhand.
  • The candidate received fewer votes than expected, suggesting a potential loss of support from coalition partners Rashtriya Janata Dal and CPI(ML)L.
  • The election saw the victory of an NDA-backed independent candidate and a Jharkhand Mukti Morcha candidate for the two available seats.

A senior Congress leader has accused the opposition alliance of "betrayal" following the defeat of their candidate in the Jharkhand Rajya Sabha elections. Rajesh Thakur, a Congress leader, stated that the party's candidate, Pranav Jha, did not receive the expected number of votes, indicating a possible defection from coalition partners.

Thakur explained that the Congress candidate secured only 21 votes, falling short of the expected 26, with one vote being declared invalid. He detailed the vote allocation within the alliance: 16 votes were designated for Congress, four for the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), four for the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and two for the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation (CPI(ML)L). "It appears that we may not have received the votes of RJD and CPI(ML)L," Thakur told ANI, expressing his disappointment.

We had 26 votes, and we got 21 votes, with one vote invalid. In our alliance, 16 votes were ours, four were from JMM, four were from RJD, and two were from CPI(ML)L. It appears that we may not have received the votes of RJD and CPI(ML)L.

— Rajesh ThakurThe Congress leader detailed the vote count and expressed suspicion about missing votes from alliance partners.

"There has been a betrayal, and betrayal happens only where there is trust. We all have to think seriously about this," he added, emphasizing the gravity of the situation for the INDIA alliance. The remarks highlight internal tensions within the opposition coalition, particularly concerning trust and vote-sharing agreements.

The election results saw the victory of NDA-backed independent candidate Parimal Nathwani and Baidyanath Ram from the JMM for the two Rajya Sabha seats from Jharkhand. Congress candidate Pranav Jha's defeat underscores the challenges the party and its allies face in maintaining unity and securing electoral success. Nathwani, following his victory, pledged to focus on development work, especially in Jharkhand's rural areas.

There has been a betrayal, and betrayal happens only where there is trust. We all have to think seriously about this.

— Rajesh ThakurThakur described the situation as a betrayal, emphasizing the breach of trust within the opposition alliance.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hindustan Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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