MP News: Congress Deprived Of One More Vote For Rajya Sabha Elections, Gets Worried

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Congress, which is worried about the cross-voting that took place during the Rajya Sabha elections in three states – Bihar, Odisha, and Haryana – got a jolt from the Supreme Court on the issue of the party MLA Mukesh Malhotra on Thursday.

The apex court may have restored Malhotra’s membership of the House, but it has asked him to stay away from casting a vote in the upcoming Rajya Sabha election in the state.

The order has a reduced one vote of the Congress, which has 65 members in the House.

The legislator from Bina, Nirmala Sapre, is technically a member of the party in the House, or else the Leader of the Opposition, Umang Singhar, has moved the court, seeking cancellation of her membership.

Because Malhotra cannot vote, 63 members will be with the party to vote for its candidate.

The tenure of the RS members from the state, Digvijaya Singh, Sumer Solanki, and George Kurian, will end on June 21.

The election for three RS seats may be held in May or June, and the apex court will hear the case of Malhotra on July 23, so it is clear he cannot cast his vote.

The Congress may need to make efforts to keep its legislators together for the RS election.

After the cross-voting in three states, the Congress leaders in MP have been advised to remain cautious in the RS poll-bound states.

To win the third RS seat from the state, the BJP will require eight legislators to do cross-voting.

Against this backdrop, the RS election will be a trial of unity for the Congress in the state.