The Bharatiya Janata Party garnered five seats, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam got three, the Samajwadi Party, the Nationalist Congress Party and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam got two apiece and the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Shiv Sena got one each respectively as all 30 made it to the Upper House after the deadline for withdrawal of nominations drew to close on Thursday evening.
The Left and the opposition parties have asked the government to abstain from the vote on March 6.
Counting began at 8 am under multi-tier security cover. At first, postal ballots will be counted and then EVMs opened.
On joining the party, the former SP leader belittled actor-politician Jaya Bachchan as someone "who used to dance in films".
The Congress and BJP are cosying up to Anna Hazare to isolate Arvind Kejriwal, who is appearing to be more difficult and impractical than was thought earlier, and probably to regain some credibility. Renu Mittal reports
At the meeting attended by 33 parties, the prime minister said suggestions from public representatives, especially from the Opposition, are valuable as they make the discussion rich.
The United Progressive Alliance government has made up its mind to move a resolution on Wednesday in Rajya Sabha to get nine Members of Parliament of the Samajwadi Party suspended for their misbehaviour and disruptions during the debate on the job quota bill for Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes.
Rajya Sabha on Monday witnessed two adjournments during the pre-lunch sitting following uproar over Centre sending a team of officials to West Bengal to assess the situation in the state after a spate of violence.
One of the problems that besieged the Lokpal Bill was that it was being considered against the backdrop of the forthcoming assembly elections, which dictated the stand of several parties, reveals Neerja Chowdhury
With the Rajya Sabha taking up the controversial quota in promotion bill after a high drama, the Congress on Thursday complimented its floor managers for finding a way out of the tussle between the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party on the measure.
Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma succeed in convincing Rahul Gandhi of zero returns in blocking Parliament.
The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday submitted before a full bench of Allahabad high court its inquiry report on allegations of money laundering against Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh.
A united opposition is all set to corner the government in Parliament today on the banning of old notes.
Samajwadi Party and Shiv Sena on Thursday thwarted an attempt in the Rajya Sabha to take up for passage the contentious Bill providing for quota in promotion for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes in government jobs.
"Some BSP MPs on the instructions of their leadership tried to misbehave with me, I just resisted it. Ask BSP whose members who don't know the democratic ways. I will file a written complaint against him for such a shameful and unparliamentary behaviour and demand action from the Special Privileges Committee," he told media persons when asked about the scuffle in the House on Wednesday.
Several legislators in states on Monday said they have cross-voted in favour of National Democratic Alliance nominee Droupadi Murmu by not following their respective party lines in the presidential election.
"Hang me if I am guilty," said Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as he broke his silence over the 2002 communal riots in his first ever interview to a leading Urdu weekly.
He said the national executive meeting called earlier on January 1 was not legal.
'So must the Opposition where it is the dominant party in the state.' 'That is neither problematic nor impossible to achieve.'
The opposition National Democratic Alliance stalled the Question Hour in both Houses of Parliament on the Quattrocchi issue and did not allow the Rail Budget to be read out in the Lok Sabha.
Some lawyers in the Congress argued against upsetting the judiciary. It was a tongue lashing from Sharad Pawar that spurred the Congress and other parties to go ahead with their move.
The BJP attacked Kejriwal after he refused to comment on the Maliwal "assault" matter during a press conference in Lucknow. He was flanked by Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and AAP Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh.
A united opposition stalled proceedings in the Rajya Sabha pressing the government to come clear on the name of a union minister alleged to have links with a Bangladeshi arms dealer.
The suspended Rajya Sabha parliamentarians, who spent the night on the lawns near Mahatma Gandhi's statue in what several old-timers said was the first such overnight protest in the complex, got a surprise visitor in the morning -- Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh who came with tea and snacks.
The two leaders also discussed the special category status promised to the southern state.
The Congress on Tuesday backed the suspension of seven members from the Rajya Sabha for their unruly behaviour over the women's bill, for the remaining part of the session, saying the provocation was 'rarest of the rare'."The decision of the Chair was certainly rarest of the rare but the provocation too was rarest of the rare," Abhishek Singhvi said. "A small minority cannot take the country to ransom," the spokesman said.
With Uttar Pradesh elections round the corner, the mood of the House was clearly reflected as members came prepared for the battle ahead. Shiv Sena members wore saffron scrafs in support of the Ayodhya cause.
It will be replaced by the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Wednesday described the women's reservation Bill as a very dangerous idea that could change the Lok Sabha's look.
With all 29 under its belt, the BJP became the first political party to achieve such a feat after 40 years in Madhya Pradesh.
The ongoing row over the UPSC issue saw disruption of Parliamentary proceedings on Tuesday as opposition parties demanded a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a joint parliamentary committee to look into the matter besides a discussion on it.
The development came against the backdrop of the ruling party accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of trying to poach its MLAs to topple the Kamal Nath-led government, which enjoys a wafer thin majority in the House, and imminent expansion of the state Cabinet.
Rajya Sabha witnessed unruly scenes on Sunday as Opposition members stormed the well and reached the deputy chairman's seat to protest against the farm bills debated and passed by the Upper House through voice vote.
The Samajwadi Party on Monday said it will continue to stall Rajya Sabha proceedings in case the bill providing for reservation to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes in promotion in government job is passed. "We will disrupt the House and not allow it to function if the bill (for reservation to SC/ST in job promotions) is passed. We will continue to oppose the bill and we are ready for suspension," said SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav.
Harping on putting up a united front, the Congress alleged that democracy is being "mercilessly murdered" and MPs who raise people's issues are suspended from the House.
Forensic examination of a controversial CD purportedly containing conversation of Team Anna member Shanti Bhushan, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh and Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh by a central laboratory shows that it was "doctored", contradicting findings of two other such tests.
In a surprise move, Jaya Bachchan has turned down her nomination for the Rajya Sabha by the Samajwadi Party, which announced the candidature of its national spokesman Mohan Singh for the seat.
the Opposition on Thursday demanded a passage of a resolution in the Rajya Sabha to reflect the sense of Parliament that country's nuclear and strategic autonomy is not compromised.
In the 243-member Rajya Sabha, Congress and its allies do not not have a majority with its number placed at 92 and needs the support of the MPs of these parties supporting the government from outside.
Rediff.com's Sahim Salim speaks to Tihar jail authorities who say Amar Singh constantly keeps complaining about his healh problems and acts bossy with prison guards and some inmates.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances