Rajya Sabha elections 2020: NPP’s WR Kharlukhi wins in Meghalaya, MNF’s K Vanlalvena in Mizoram

Imphal/Shillong/Aizawl: The candidates of the ruling MNF in Mizoram and Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) won the one Rajya Sabha seats in eaxh state, while the process in Manipur was withheld by the Election Commission, election officials said on Friday.

Voting was held for three Rajya Sabha seats in Manipur, Meghalaya and Mizoram on Friday, with a frantic political drama in Imphal, where the equations are altering fast given the changing political equations since Wednesday.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party candidate King Leishemba Sanajaoba and Congress nominee T. Mangibabu are fighting for the lone Rajya Sabha seat in Manipur.

In Meghalaya, Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) sponsored National People`s Party candidate W.R. Kharlukhi won the election, beating Kennedy Khyriem.

In Mizoram, in a triangular contest, ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) candidate K. Vanlalvena won the Rajya Sabha seat by securing 27 votes, defeating Zoram Peoples Movement (7 votes) candidate B. Lalchhanzova and Congress nominee Lallianchhunga (5 votes).

In the 40-member Mizoram assembly, the lone BJP MLA Buddha Dhan Chakma abstained from voting.

Meanwhile, ruling BJP nominee Nabam Rebia had on June 12 won the lone Rajya Sabha seat in Arunachal Pradesh unopposed.

Rebia, who represented the northeastern state in the Rajya Sabha for two consecutive terms from 1996 to 2002 and 2002 to 2008 as a Congress candidate, was declared winner after the withdrawal of nominations ended on June 12.

Voting for 19 Rajya Sabha seats spread across 8 states concluded peacefully at 4 pm on Friday. Voting began at 9 am in the respective Assemblies and concluded at 4 pm.

Polling took place in 8 states simultaneously - Gujarat (4 seats), Andhra Pradesh (4 seats), Rajasthan (3 seats), Jharkhand (2 seats), Manipur (1 seat), Meghalaya (1 seat) and Mizoram (1 seat). 

Apart from routine preparations, the Election Commission had made special arrangements for sanitisation, social distancing etc. in view of coronavirus outbreak. The EC had arranged separate entry and exit gates.

MLAs were allowed to enter the Assemblies after the thermal screening. 18 of the 19 seats are part of the 55 Rajya Sabha seats which fell vacant earlier this year. Out of these 55 seats, 37 were filled uncontested.