Ranchi: A day before the Rajya Sabha elections in Jharkhand, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) conducted a mock polling exercise for its MLAs to ensure smooth voting and reinforce unity within the alliance.
The legislators, who are staying at a hotel in Ranchi ahead of Thursday’s election, were briefed on the voting procedure and participated in a practice session designed to prevent technical mistakes during the ballot.
The exercise was attended by BJP state president Aditya Sahu, Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi, and NDA-backed Independent Rajya Sabha candidate Parimal Nathwani, among other senior leaders.
According to party sources, several NDA legislators will be voting in a Rajya Sabha election for the first time and were therefore given detailed guidance on the election process.
Speaking to reporters, Aditya Sahu said all NDA MLAs were united and fully committed to supporting Parimal Nathwani. Expressing confidence in the alliance’s prospects, he claimed Nathwani’s victory was “100 per cent certain.”
Sahu also suggested that some legislators from outside the NDA could vote according to their conscience.
Taking a swipe at the Congress, Sahu questioned its criticism of the BJP over “hotel politics.” He asked the party to explain why its own MLAs were staying at a hotel in Ranchi after earlier claiming they would travel directly from their homes to cast their votes.
He also questioned the Congress’s decision to appoint Jharkhand in-charge K. Raju and co-in-charge Siri Bela Prasad as polling agents, saying it raised doubts about the party’s confidence in its state leadership.
The election for two Rajya Sabha seats in Jharkhand has turned into a closely watched contest, with three candidates in the fray. The INDIA bloc has fielded JMM’s Baijnath Ram and Congress candidate Pranav Jha, while the NDA is backing Independent candidate Parimal Nathwani.
Under the current strength of the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly, a candidate requires about 28 first-preference votes to win a Rajya Sabha seat, meaning 56 votes are needed to secure both seats. The NDA has 25 MLAs, including 21 from the BJP, leaving Nathwani in need of at least three additional votes from outside the alliance to secure victory.
With inputs from IANS