Stage set for rare contest to elect deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha

The election to the deputy chairman is mostly decided by consensus, but opposition leaders complained that the Narendra Modi government was yet to reach out to them

The stage is set for a rare contest to elect the deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Given the numbers of the ruling alliance and the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, with neither side currently commanding a majority, the election is set to be a close one.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance has picked Janata Dal (United) MP Harivansh as its candidate. Leaders of the Congress and other opposition parties held a meeting on Monday and agreed that they will be fielding a common candidate.

After consulting their respective party leaderships, Opposition Rajya Sabha leaders will meet