BJP's S Jaishankar, Jugalji Thakor win Rajya Sabha by-poll from Gujarat: CM Vijay Rupani

Former diplomat and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and another BJP' OBC Cell member Jugal Thakor won Rajya Sabha by-poll from Gujarat, said Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.

"Both our candidates have won with a thumping majority. The Congress tried to create hurdles and went up to the Supreme Court, but it failed," Rupani told reporters.

"The result is yet to be declared officially but it is clear that we have won," the chief minister said.

"I want to thank everyone for support. Like I said during my nomination, External Affairs Minister & Gujarat have a natural partnership. There is no such country where there is no Gujarati. If prestige of India has increased internationally, Gujarat has a role in it,” Jaishankar said during a press a conference. 

“For taking India from $3 trillion to $5 trillion economy, Gujarat’s contribution is essential. Also, our partnership will play a big role in bringing investment and technologies that is needed for making India $5 trillion economy. We've today built a special relation,” he added.

Initial reports suggest that S Jaishankar and Juglaji Thakor won with 104 votes. However, the election officials have yet not make any formal announcement.

The Congress had nominated Chandrika Chudasama and Gaurav Pandya for the two seats

Polling for the two Rajya Sabha seats was necessitated after Union Ministers Amit Shah and Smriti Irani were elected to the Lok Sabha in the recently concluded general elections. 

Earlier, voting took place at a single polling booth at the state Assembly complex with separate divisions for the two seats, since elections were held separately for the seats as decided by the Election Commission.

Since these were by-elections and Amit Shah and Irani had resigned on different dates, the elections to both the seats were conducted separately. The Congress had challenged this decision in the Supreme Court demanding joint elections, but was turned down.