The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) registered a decisive victory in the Rajya Sabha biennial elections on Monday, winning all five seats from Bihar while also securing two seats in Odisha, aided by cross-voting from opposition legislators.

NDA’s clean sweep in Bihar

In Bihar, candidates backed by the alliance included Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and BJP leader Nitin Nabin. Voting concluded in the state assembly with participation from the NDA’s MLAs.

According to the results, Nitish Kumar and Nitin Nabin each received support from 44 legislators. Leaders Upendra Kushwaha and Ramnath Thakur secured 42 votes each, comfortably crossing the required mark.

The final contest saw BJP candidate Shivesh Kumar defeat Amarendra Dhari Singh of the Rashtriya Janata Dal after second-preference votes were counted. While Singh led initially with 37 first-preference votes, Kumar’s tally increased significantly in the next round, giving him a higher overall vote value and sealing the seat.

The NDA coalition in the state includes Janata Dal (United), Bharatiya Janata Party, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) led by Chirag Paswan, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) headed by Jitan Ram Manjhi and Rashtriya Lok Morcha led by Upendra Kushwaha.

Opposition setbacks during voting

The opposition alliance, commonly referred to as the Mahagathbandhan, faced difficulties during polling as several legislators were absent.

Three MLAs from the Indian National Congress and one from the Rashtriya Janata Dal did not participate in the vote. Their absence proved significant because each candidate needed at least 41 votes to secure a Rajya Sabha seat if all 243 members of the assembly had voted.

Meanwhile, legislators from All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen and the Bahujan Samaj Party supported the RJD candidate during the voting.

Cross-voting shapes Odisha results

The NDA also strengthened its presence in Odisha after winning two seats in the Rajya Sabha elections held for four positions in the state.

Manmohan Samal, president of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Odisha unit, secured one seat, marking an important achievement for the party’s expansion in the state.

Another BJP nominee, Sujeet Kumar, retained his position in the Upper House after being re-elected.

A key highlight of the election was the victory of former Union minister Dilip Ray, who contested as an Independent with BJP backing. His success was reportedly aided by cross-voting from some legislators belonging to the Biju Janata Dal and Congress.

From the regional party, Santrupt Misra won a seat, ensuring representation for the BJD in the Upper House.

Tense polling process

The voting process in Odisha witnessed a brief interruption due to a dispute related to a ballot paper. Allegations of attempts to influence legislators also surfaced during the closely contested election.

Despite the controversies, the results have strengthened the NDA’s position in the Rajya Sabha and highlighted shifting political dynamics in both Bihar and Odisha.