In 6 Points: Who Is Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh?

NEW DELHI: For the post of Rajya Sabha deputy chairman, the election happened today and NDA nominee Harivansh Narayan Singh won with 125 votes. The election was held at 11 am on, soon after the laying of papers. The post of the deputy chairperson had been lying vacant since June following the retirement of PJ Kurien, who had been elected to the Rajya Sabha on a Congress ticket from Kerala.

Who Is Harivansh Narayan Singh?

• Harivansh Narayan Singh was born on 30 June 1956 in Uttar Pradesh’s Ballia.
• As per reports, Singh is graduated from Banaras Hindu University and resides at Ranchi.
• He is a first-time MP of the JD-U.
• He is elected for the term April 2014-April-2020.
• He is a former journalist and former editor-in-chief of Hindi daily Prabhat Khabar.
• Harivansh Narayan Singh was also the media advisor of former PM Chandra Shekhar

Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu on Monday had announced the dates for the contest between the ruling NDA and a united opposition. The election is likely to be a close affair as the opposition bloc has an edge over the BJP-led NDA in terms of numbers. While talking to reporters, Harivansh had said that he was the candidate of the ruling coalition. "I got to know through the media that I am NDA's candidate for the post of Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. I express my gratitude to the parties in the NDA. I am hopeful that I will succeed," he said. Asked about his loss in PAC election, Harivansh said he fought it in his individual capacity. "I am NDA's candidate (Deputy Chairman) and there will be much more support," he said. Interestingly, Harivansh lost badly, getting just 26 votes on Monday in the balloting to fill two vacancies in the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). TDP's C.M. Ramesh got the highest 106 votes in the Rajya Sabha and was elected to the PAC. (Image: PTI)