BJP-backed Independent candidate Parimal Nathwani on Thursday secured victory in the Rajya Sabha elections from Jharkhand, winning one of the two seats from the state and dealing a significant setback to the ruling Mahagathbandhan (I.N.D.I.A bloc).
Nathwani received 30 votes in the election, but two of them were declared invalid, reducing his effective tally to 28 votes — exactly the number required to secure victory in the 81-member Jharkhand Legislative Assembly.
Reacting to the result, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey termed Nathwani’s victory a major defeat for the opposition alliance. He claimed that while Nathwani secured 28 valid votes, the Congress candidate managed only 20 votes.
“Congratulations to NDA-backed candidate Parimal Nathwani on his victory in the Rajya Sabha election from Jharkhand; he secured a total of 28 votes. The Congress candidate received only 20 votes, and the Grand Alliance suffered a crushing defeat,” Dubey said in a post on X.
Following his victory, Nathwani expressed gratitude to the BJP leadership, NDA allies and the members of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly who supported him. Calling the occasion deeply emotional, he noted that this would be his fourth term in the Rajya Sabha and his third term representing Jharkhand.
“Deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve the fourth term as the Member of Rajya Sabha. This moment is filled with profound emotion as this will be my third term from Jharkhand, the very soil from where my Parliamentary journey began in 2008. It is a matter of immense pride and humility to return once again to my karmabhoomi,” Nathwani said.
He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national leadership and NDA partners for backing his candidature. Reaffirming his commitment to the state, Nathwani said he would continue to work for the interests and aspirations of the people of Jharkhand.
Earlier in the day, ahead of the results, Nathwani had expressed confidence in his prospects and claimed to enjoy support across party lines. “I am very confident. I have faith in all MLAs. If given a chance to do so, I will definitely serve Jharkhand,” he said. When asked whether he had the support of Congress legislators, he replied, “I have everyone’s support.”
Polling for the Rajya Sabha elections in the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly began at 9 a.m. and continued until 4 p.m., while counting of votes commenced at 5 p.m.
The contest had attracted considerable political attention as three candidates were vying for two Rajya Sabha seats. The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and its ally Congress had fielded one candidate each under a seat-sharing arrangement, while Nathwani entered the fray as an Independent backed by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
The three candidates in the contest were BJP-backed Independent Parimal Nathwani, JMM nominee Baidyanath Ram and Congress candidate Pranav Jha.
Among the 81 legislators who cast their votes were Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi, BJP Chief Whip Naveen Jaiswal, Congress Legislature Party leader Pradeep Yadav and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Radhakrishna Kishore.
Nathwani’s victory is being viewed as a significant political development in Jharkhand, highlighting the NDA’s ability to mobilise support beyond its own legislative strength and intensifying political debates over cross-voting within the Assembly.
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