Ranchi, Jun 19 (IANS): Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) President Shibu Soren and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state President Deepak Prakash were sent to sent to the Upper House from Jharkhand after Rajya Sabha polls were held on Friday. Soren got 31 votes, while Prakash got 30 votes.

Congress nominee Shahzada Anwa managed 18 votes.

The JMM got 29 votes from its MLAs and two from other parties, while the BJP secured 26 votes from its MLAs and two from Independents and two from the All Jharkahnd Students Union (AJSU).

Polling began at 9 a.m. and ended at 4 p.m. All the 79 legislators caste their votes in Friday's polling. Adequate arrangements were made amid the coronavirus outbreak, and legislators had to undergo thermal screening and sanitise their hands for safety reasons.

Polling for the two Rajya Sabha seats was scheduled on March 26 but was deferred due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

The 81-member Jharkhand Assembly currently stands at 79, as Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who won from two seats, later resigned from the Dumka seat, while the Bermo seat has fallen vacant due to the sudden demise of Congress legislator Rajendra Prasad Singh.

A candidate needed 27 votes on first preference to win the seat.