Major Setback For Congress As Pranav Jha Loses Rajya Sabha Race In Jharkhand

In a setback for the Congress in Jharkhand, NDA-backed independent candidate Parimal Nathwani and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) nominee Baidyanath Ram emerged victorious in the Rajya Sabha elections, while Congress candidate Pranav Jha suffered an unexpected defeat.

Although the Election Commission had not officially announced the results by late evening, sources associated with the counting process confirmed the victory of Nathwani and Ram. The outcome meant that one of the state’s two Rajya Sabha seats went to the JMM, while the other was secured by the NDA-backed independent candidate.

Pranav Jha, fielded by the Congress on behalf of the ruling Mahagathbandhan alliance, had been widely expected to win. However, the final voting pattern produced a surprising result that political observers described as a major blow to both the Congress and the opposition alliance.

During the counting process, reports surfaced that three votes were kept on hold before eventually being declared invalid. Jharkhand Finance Minister Radhakrishna Kishore acknowledged that the status of these ballots had initially been unclear before they were rejected.

Political speculation intensified over possible cross-voting or lack of coordination within the Mahagathbandhan. According to sources, legislators from alliance partners, including the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and CPI(ML), may not have voted in complete unity. The alleged internal rift is believed to have hurt the Congress candidate’s prospects while benefiting Nathwani.

The election outcome has sparked fresh debate over opposition cohesion in Jharkhand ahead of future political contests. Attention is now focused on the Election Commission’s formal declaration and the reactions likely to follow from various political parties.

Reacting to the result, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey congratulated Parimal Nathwani on his victory and described it as a significant political defeat for the Mahagathbandhan. He claimed the outcome exposed weaknesses in the opposition’s claims of unity and highlighted divisions within the alliance during the closely watched Rajya Sabha election.