Rajya Sabha Polls: BJP wins big in UP, Himachal; Congress bags Karnataka

Elections to 15 Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Himachal Pradesh were held on 27 February. In Karnataka Congress won three out of four seats while Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) won 8 out of 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh.

Tuesday's election was marred by cross-voting reports from Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh. 

Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the outcome of the polls to the Rajya Sabha is likely to have an impact in the politically crucial states.

The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) won eight out of ten seats in Uttar Pradesh while the Samajwadi Party won two seats in the Rajya Sabha elections held on February 27.  

At least seven MLA's have reportedly voted for the BJP, ensuring that the saffron party won eight seats, instead of expected seven in accordance with numbers in the UP house. 

Apart from ten seats in Uttar Pradesh, polling was also held for four seats in Congress-ruled Karnataka and one seat in Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh. 

In Karnataka, all three Congress candidates Ajay Maken, Dr Syed Naseer Hussain and GC Chandrashekhar won with 47, 46 and 46 votes respectively. Further, BJP candidate Narayana Bandage won while BJP-JD(S) candidate Kupendra Reddy lost.

JD(S) candidate and real estate businessman D Kupendra Reddy lost out on an Upper House berth, falling short by nine votes.

Five candidates were in the fray for the four seats in the elections, including JD(S) contestant D Kupendra Reddy. The elections were marred by cross-voting. While one of the BJP MLAs, S T Somashekar, voted for the Congress' Maken, the other, A Shivaram Hebbar, abstained.

Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said, "This shows the unity and integrity of Congress. I thank all the MLAs, party workers and the media. I'm very happy