Chandigarh, March 16 (NationPress) The voting process for two Rajya Sabha seats in Haryana commenced today, with ballot counting scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.

Three contenders are competing: Sanjay Bhatia from the BJP, Karamvir Boudh, a Dalit activist representing the Congress, and the BJP-supported Independent candidate, Satish Nandal.

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini was the first to cast his vote.

Due to concerns about cross-voting, the Congress party, holding 37 seats in the 90-member assembly, relocated its MLAs to resorts in Himachal Pradesh. However, six legislators remained behind for personal reasons.

On the eve of the election, the Congress moved 31 legislators from Shimla to Kasauli. Accompanied by party general secretary B.K. Hariprasad and Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda, the lawmakers traveled under tight security to Chandigarh on Monday morning.

Upon arriving in Chandigarh, the MLAs first visited the residence of Opposition Leader Bhupinder Hooda in Sector 7 for breakfast before heading to the legislative assembly to cast their votes.

This marks CM Saini's first significant political challenge since taking office. Successfully securing both seats would validate his strong political influence and strategic capabilities.

A senior BJP minister acknowledged, “A win could further enhance his prominence and authority within the party's higher echelons.”

To win, a candidate needs 31 votes. The BJP, with its 48 votes, is well-positioned to secure one seat.

With 37 votes, the Congress is also in a position to claim a seat.

The remaining 17 BJP MLAs, along with three Independent voters, are expected to support the BJP-aligned Independent candidate, Nandal.

If the two votes from the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) are cast for Nandal, he would still require an additional nine votes. The INLD may either choose to back BJP or abstain from supporting Nandal.

The two Rajya Sabha seats are set to become vacant as BJP members Kiran Choudhry and Ram Chander Jangra will complete their terms on April 9.

Historically, two instances of vote cancellations during Rajya Sabha elections have occurred, impacting the outcomes.

In 2016, the votes of 14 Congress MLAs were invalidated due to the use of pens not containing the required purple ink.

This vote cancellation facilitated the victory of Independent candidate Subhash Chandra, who had BJP's backing.

In 2022, one vote from a Congress MLA was deemed invalid, resulting in Ajay Maken's defeat against the BJP-supported Independent candidate, Kartikeya Sharma.