The BJP-led NDA's candidate Harivansh Narayan Singh was on Thursday elected new Rajya Sabha (RS) deputy chairman with 125 votes. The UPA's candidate, Congress MP BK Hariprasad, got 105 votes.
"I congratulate Harivansh ji on behalf of the whole house. He has been blessed with the talent of writing. He was also a favourite of former PM Chandra Shekhar ji," said PM Narendra Modi, right after the results.
Harivansh is a JD(U) a Parliamentarian from Bihar and a former journalist. Hariprasad is Congress MP from Karnataka.The RS deputy chairman post fell vacant after the retirement of Congress' PJ Kurien on July 1.
Following the failed no-confidence motion against the government in the Lok Sabha last month, the contest for the post of RS deputy chairman was being seen as the next big test of opposition unity.
