NDA shifts Jharkhand MLAs to Ranchi hotel ahead of Rajya Sabha election

Ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections for two seats in Jharkhand, MLAs from the state’s Opposition National Democratic Alliance were moved to a hotel in Ranchi, while legislators from the ruling INDIA bloc participated in training exercises and a mock poll at Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s residence on Tuesday, PTI reported.

The election on Thursday will be contested by Jharkhand Mukti Morcha candidate Baidyanath Ram, Congress nominee Pranav Jha and Bharatiya Janata Party-backed Independent candidate Parimal Nathwani.

A candidate requires at least 28 first-preference votes to win.

The INDIA bloc has 56 MLAs, including 34 from the JMM, 16 from the Congress, four from the Rashtriya Janata Dal and two from Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation. The Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha has one MLA.

The BJP-led NDA has 24 MLAs in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly, comprising 21 BJP legislators and one each from the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), All Jharkhand Students Union Party and Janata Dal (United).

Thus, the NDA does not currently have the numbers to secure Nathwani’s election without support from outside the alliance or cross-voting.

“All the MLAs have been called here for the training purpose,” The Hindu quoted BJP MLA from Barkagaon Roshan Lal Choudhary as saying. “We will stay here for two days and will directly go to the Assembly for...

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