JD(U) wins in RS bypoll in Bihar

JD(U) candidates, diplomat-turned- politician Pavan Kumar Varma and Gulam Rasool Balyawi, today managed to win their seats in the Rajya Sabha bye-elections overcoming cross voting by party MLAs in favour of BJP-backed Independents, thanks to help from RJD and some other parties.
Varma and Balyawi defeated Independents Anil Sharma and Sabir Ali, Assembly Secretary Hareram Mukhiya told reporters here.
Varma secured 122 votes against Anil Sharma's 108, while for the other seat, JD(U)'s Gulam Rasool Balyawi bagged 123 votes against Sabir Ali's 107, he said.
There was cross-voting by members from JD(U), RJD and Congress.
JD(U) candidates should have got 143 votes on the basis of strength of 116 MLAs of the party, besides 20 of RJD, 4 of Congress, 2 Independents and 1 CPI.

Speaker Udai Narayan Choudhary from JD(U) did not vote.
RJD MLA Kedar Singh did not vote as he was absconding in a some criminal case.
The two Independents, real estate baron Anil Sharma and Sabir Ali, bagged 17 and 16 votes of JD(U) dissidents, because of cross voting by two members each from RJD and Congress.