Rajya Sabha Elections 2026 Highlights: BJP, Congress claim victory on one seat each from Haryana

Live updates to this blog have ended.

Speaking on the result of Rajya Sabha elections for two seats from Haryana, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini says, "I congratulate BJP candidate Sanjay Bhatia and Congress candidate Karmveer Bauddh for their victory... Congress does not have faith in its own MLAs. The way Congress kept its MLAs under house arrest and kept transferring them to different places every hour. This is also the first time in history that I have seen senior Congress leaders themselves becoming polling agents for Congress. INLD's role has appeared as the B team of Congress."

(With agency inputs)

After emerging victorious on one of the two Rajya Sabha seats about to fall vacant from Haryana, BJP's Sanjay Bhatia says, "Congress' responsibility was to unite its workers and MLAs, now they are putting allegations on us for the cross-votes of their own workers, which is not right... I have been born and brought up in Haryana and my priority will be the issues of the people here... Congress got 28 votes, the independent received 16 votes with first preference and BJP received 39 first preference votes."

(With agency inputs)

BJP's Sanjay Bhatia and Congress's Karamvir Singh Boudh have been elected to the Rajya Sabha, their parties said as counting of votes concluded for two seats from Haryana in the Upper House.

The Leader of Opposition in Haryana Assembly and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda says on voting on Rajya Sabha seats from Haryana: "Democracy has won and vote chori lost today... According to the majority, one seat belonged to BJP and one to Congress, but by bringing in a third candidate, they (BJP) attempted vote chori, but failed... The attitude of the Returning Officer was partisan, yet we won today."

He also says, "It was a great challenge, an 'Agni Pariksha' for Congress, which we passed today."

On cross-voting, he says, " I will not name those who did it but people have come to understand this and it will be avenged."

(With agency inputs)

Speaking on the counting of votes for two Rajya Sabha seats from Haryana, Congress MLA Jassi Petwar tells news agency ANI: "Our application was rejected by the Returning Officer and our vote was cancelled basis the false complaint filed by them (BJP)... BJP plays the politics of financial power and they will have to lose... The way they threatened our MLAs and this is why they will have to face the consequences... Congress will definitely win today."

(With agency inputs)

Speaking on allegations of cross-voting by Congress MLAs in Rajya Sabha elections, party MP Mallu Ravi tells news agency ANI: "Everything is possible in politics. They might have done cross-voting in Bihar and Odisha, depending on the situation, but the Congress has won unopposed in Telangana."

(With agency inputs)

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday accused the Congress of acting as the “B-team” of the BJP, citing recent Rajya Sabha elections in Odisha and Bihar. “The results of today’s Rajya Sabha elections once again confirm that the Congress functions as the B-team of the Sangh Parivar,” the veteran CPI(M) leader said. He added that while Congress campaigns against the BJP, it often adopts strategies that help the ruling party win at critical moments. Vijayan referred to reports of cross-voting by at least five BJD and Congress MLAs in Odisha in favour of a BJP-backed Independent candidate, calling it part of a recurring pattern across states.

Sources said the Election Commission of India has resolved two of the three objections raised during the Haryana Rajya Sabha counting. The Congress petition seeking to invalidate BJP MLA and Cabinet Minister Anil Vij’s vote was rejected, and his vote was declared valid. Conversely, the BJP’s objection to Congress MLA Parmveer Singh’s vote was accepted, and his vote was invalidated. The petition regarding Congress MLA Bharat Singh Beniwal from Ellenabad is still pending.

(Inputs from Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu)

Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Monday reacted to RJD leader and Bihar Assembly Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav’s remarks following the Rajya Sabha election results. Singh said, “Tejashwi Yadav should resign from the post of Leader of the Opposition…3-4 Congress MLAs have shown a mirror to Rahul Gandhi,” criticising the opposition leader for the party’s poor performance in the polls.

The Election Commission on Monday officially declared the results of the Rajya Sabha elections for Bihar’s five seats. BJP candidate Shivesh Kumar secured the fifth seat, defeating RJD’s AD Singh on the basis of second-preference votes.

Shivesh Kumar received a total vote value of 4,202, while AD Singh’s total stood at 3,700. In the first-preference count, AD Singh had 37 votes and Shivesh Kumar 30, but the second-preference votes pushed Shivesh Kumar ahead.

Other NDA winners included Nitish Kumar and Nitin Nabin with 44 votes each, Upendra Kushwaha and Ram Nath Thakur with 42 votes each. The official notification of victory for all five NDA candidates has now been issued.

(Inputs from Shashi Bhushan)

Haryana Congress MLA Geeta Bhukkal said the party’s Rajya Sabha seat is “absolutely certain” even as objections were raised during counting. Speaking on the elections, she alleged that the BJP, despite being in power, filed objections only after realizing Congress was leading. Bhukkal said the Election Commission is under pressure in some areas and emphasised that the party also filed an objection regarding BJP MLA Anil Vij’s vote.

She added that such tactics are often used to delay results when the opposition is winning and called on the EC to ensure a fair process, expressing confidence that Congress candidate Karmveer Singh Baudh will comfortably win the seat.

BJD MLA Dibya Shankar Mishra alleged that BJP leaders engaged in horse-trading during the Rajya Sabha elections in Odisha. Speaking on the contest for the fourth seat, he said their candidate, Dr Datteswar Hota, had an advantage alongside the Congress-backed nominee, but BJP-backed Independent Dilip Ray influenced the outcome through payments and pressure. Mishra noted that eight MLAs had already been suspended — two for anti-party activities and six for cross-voting — and expressed confidence that Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik would take appropriate constitutional action against those involved.

Chandigarh: On the temporary halt in counting for the Haryana Rajya Sabha elections, Leader of the Opposition in the Haryana Assembly and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, “Permission needs to be taken from the Election Commission before starting the counting.” Hooda’s statement comes amid objections raised by both the Congress and BJP over the secrecy of votes cast by certain MLAs.

Reacting to the Rajya Sabha election results in Bihar, RJD MP Amarendra Dhari Singh claimed the opposition alliance lost the contest despite having the required numbers. He alleged that horse-trading had taken place during the election. Singh said the setback was linked to the absence of four MLAs from the alliance who did not turn up to vote. “We have lost despite winning. We had the numbers. Horse-trading has happened in this, and the four voters who did not come were from our alliance,” he said.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday spoke out after the party’s Rajya Sabha candidate lost the election in Bihar, alleging that the BJP used “money power and machinery” to influence the outcome. Speaking to reporters while leaving the Assembly, Yadav said the RJD would have fought the BJP regardless of its numbers.

He also hinted at possible dissent within the opposition ranks, saying the result would have been different had their MLAs not “betrayed” the party. Yadav said the reasons behind some legislators not turning up for voting would be examined later, adding that the RJD would continue its political fight against the BJP.

After the conclusion of the Rajya Sabha elections in Bihar, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary congratulated BJP national president Nitin Naveen on his victory. Scenes of sloganeering were witnessed in the Assembly portico after the poll process ended. While NDA MLAs raised chants of “Jai Shri Ram”, legislators from the Mahagathbandhan countered with slogans accusing the ruling alliance of “killing democracy”.

Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) chief Upendra Kushwaha on Monday thanked Bihar MLAs for re-electing him to the Rajya Sabha, expressing gratitude to those who voted for him and other NDA candidates, including Nitish Kumar, Nitin Nabin, Ram Nath Thakur and Shivesh Ram. In a post on X, Kushwaha said the victory reflected the faith and support of the people of Bihar and the country in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA.

He said the win was also a result of the dedication and hard work of lakhs of party workers. Kushwaha added that as a Rajya Sabha member he would continue working for the interests of Bihar and strive to fulfil the ideals of leaders such as Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, B R Ambedkar, Swami Sahajanand Saraswati, Karpoori Thakur, Ram Manohar Lohia and Jagdev Prasad. He said he remains committed to contributing to the development goals set by the prime minister for the country and the state.

Four candidates were elected to the Rajya Sabha from Odisha on Monday following a closely fought election that saw allegations of cross-voting and political tension during polling. Senior BJP leader and Odisha unit chief Manmohan Samal secured a seat, while the party’s sitting Rajya Sabha MP Sujeet Kumar was also re-elected.

Independent candidate and former Union minister Dilip Ray, backed by the BJP, also emerged victorious in a notable result that reportedly involved cross-voting by several BJD and Congress MLAs. BJD sources suggested that multiple legislators from the party may have supported Ray. Meanwhile, the Biju Janata Dal’s Santrupt Misra also won a seat, ensuring the regional party’s continued representation in the Upper House.

(Inputs from Ajay Nath)

Alleging attempts to interfere with the ongoing Rajya Sabha election in Haryana, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has written to the Election Commission of India. In his letter, Kharge sought time for an immediate meeting with a Congress delegation led by senior leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi to raise the party’s concerns over the polling process.