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M J Akbar, media personality and spokesperson for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won a Rajya Sabha seat in a by-election from Jharkhand. This increases the BJP's tally in the Upper House by one.
But more importantly, it raises the chance of a Cabinet reshuffle ahead of the Parliament session starting July 21. In Akbar's share were 47 votes, but he got two more from Independents - one from Geeta Koda, the wife of former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda; and another from Shivpujan Mehta. The other minister from Jharkhand is Jayant Sinha, minister of state for finance.
