Elections are being held today (Friday) for 19 seats of Rajya Sabha from eight states of the country. There is likely to be a close contest between BJP and Congress in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The election to 18 seats was postponed due to the coronavirus epidemic. Later, the Election Commission announced to hold elections for four seats from Karnataka and one seat each from Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh. In the 19 seats of Rajya Sabha, there will be four seats each from Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, three each from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, two from Jharkhand and one each from Manipur, Mizoram and Meghalaya.

In the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan cast his vote for the Rajya Sabha election.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan cast his vote for #RajyaSabhaElection at the state Assembly in Bhopal. pic.twitter.com/BB2l5tYGcF

— ANI (@ANI) June 19, 2020

Voting is being held for three Rajya Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh. Congress MLAs meet party leader Kamal Nath.

Madhya Pradesh: Buses carrying Congress MLAs, leave from party leader Kamal Nath's residence, for the state legislative assembly in Bhopal ahead of #RajyaSabhaElection today. Voting to be held for three Rajya Sabha seats of the state today. pic.twitter.com/kUyl8R1Tjb

— ANI (@ANI) June 19, 2020

Elections there are also likely to be interesting due to the resignation of nine members of the ruling coalition in Manipur. BJP has nominated Lisemba Sanajaoba and Congress has fielded T. Mangi Babu. Former Karnataka Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, BJP candidates Iranna Kadadi and Ashok Gasti have already been declared unopposed in four seats.

BJP candidate Nabam Rebia has been declared unopposed for the only seat in Rajya Sabha from Arunachal Pradesh. The Election Commission has said that counting of votes for all the 19 seats will take place in the evening of June 19.

The contest in Gujarat is likely to be interesting as no one in the ruling BJP and Congress has enough numbers in the Assembly to win their candidates because of it.

Four members will be elected to the Rajya Sabha from Andhra Pradesh. The ruling YSR Congress is expected to win all the four seats due to the sufficient number of seats in the state assembly.