Boost for NDA, JD(U)'s Harivansh elected Dy Chairman of RS, comfortably beats oppn Cong nominee

The ruling NDA today comfortably bagged the post of deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha with journalist-turned politician Harivansh of the JD(U) beating Congress' B K Hariprasad in an election that was seen as a test for the opposition unity ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

In a boost to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance(NDA), its candidate Harivansh, the 62-year-old first-time MP from the Nitish Kumar-led party, got 125 votes as against 101 polled by Hariprasad, who was the opposition nominee.

Hariprasad's vote count was revised downwards to 101 from the earlier 105 by the Rajya Sabha secretariat after tallying the final figures.

A total of 228 members out of an effective House strength of 244 voted thereby reducing the majority mark to 115, according to the final official figures.

Though the BJP-led NDA was present in the House in full strength with 97 MPs it needed the backing of other parties to clinch the deputy chairmanship. The alliance got the support of fence sitters BJD(9) and TRS(6). The AIADMK with 13 members also voted for the NDA.

The NDA also benefitted from the absence of some opposition members.

As many as 16 members were not present during voting, according to official figures.

Three members each of the Congress, the Samajwadi Party(SP) and the AAP besides two each from the TMC, DMK and PDP and one from the Naga People's Front(NPF) were the absentee members.

Two members of the YSRCP abstained from the voting.

The post of the deputy chairman is lying vacant since the retirement of P J Kurien of the Congress on July 1.

The entire House congratulated Harivansh with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a lighter vein, saying "ab sub kuch 'Hari Bharose'. Aur mujhe vishwas hai ke sabhi, idhar ho ya udhar, sabhi sansadon per Hari Kripa bani rahegi (everything is now in the hands of Hari or God. And I am confident that every member, whether on this side or that side, will have his mercy)."