BJP Suspends Rajasthan MLA Shobha Rani For Cross-Voting in Rajya Sabha Elections

Dholpur MLA Shobha Rani Kushwah voted in favour of Congress candidate Pramod Tiwari in the Rajya Sabha elections.

Shobha Rani Kushwah

(Photo: Facebook/Shobha Rani Kushwah)

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday, 10 June suspended its Rajasthan MLA Shobha Rani Kushwah for cross-voting in favour of Congress candidate Pramod Tiwari in the Rajya Sabha elections.

Rajasthan's Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria also wrote to the Dholpur MLA, asking her to clarify why she voted against the party's whip.

The Congress won three seats, while the BJP bagged one. BJP-backed media baron Subhash Chandra, however, faced a defeat in the poll.

BJP MLA Garhi Kailash Meena was also accused of showing his vote to someone apart from the party's agent. The BJP had approached the Election Commission (EC) for the cancellation of the two votes, but the request was denied.

Both Meena and Kushwah are considered to be loyalists of former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

BJP state president Satish Poonia said the party high command has been informed about the matter.

The Congress had fielded three candidates for the four Rajya Sabha seats in Rajasthan, while the BJP fielded one, besides supporting an independent candidate - Chandra.

While BJP candidate Ghanshyam Tiwari got 43 votes, Chandra managed to garner only 30. The Congress now has Randeep Surjewala, Mukul Wasnik, and Pramod Tiwari as Rajya Sabha MPs from Rajasthan.

(With inputs from PTI.)