Thaindian News

Ranchi, May 3 (IANS) Jharkhand’s ruling BJP, which lost the Rajya Sabha polls from the state Thursday, has accused the Congress of winning by securing the support of independents and jailed legislators.

“We managed to secure 20 votes. Congress secured 25 votes by managing to get the votes of two jailed legislators and by luring independent legislators. We did not venture into securing the votes of tainted legislators,” Jharkhand BJP president Dineshanand Goswami told reporters.

Jailed ex-ministers and legislators Enos Ekka and Harinarayan Rai voted in favour of the Congress. Both are in jail for the last two- and-a-half years in graft cases. Geeta Koda, wife of jailed former chief Minister Madhu Koda, also voted in favour of the Congress.

Sixty-eight legislators of the 81-member assembly cast their votes, with Congress, JMM and BJP candidates Pradeep Balmuchu, Sanjiv Kumar and Ahluwalia securing 25, 23 and 20 votes respectively.

The Congress, which has 13 legislators, sailed through by securing the votes of five RJD members and seven independents. It said that ruling alliance partner JMM should seek resignation of Chief Minister Arjun Munda.

“The JMM should seek the resignation of Arjun Munda,” Congress legislative party leader Rajendra Singh told reporters.

The two Rajya Sabha seats fell vacant as the terms of BJP’s Ahluwalia and Congress’ Mabel Rebello ended.

The polling had taken place March 30 but the Election Commission of India countermanded this after Rs.2.15 crore was seized from vehicle of a relative of an independent candidate.