Former NCW chief Rekha Sharma elected unopposed in Rajya Sabha bypolls

Chandigarh (Haryana) [India], December 13 (ANI): Former Chairperson of the National Commission for Women, Rekha Sharma, was elected unopposed in the Rajya Sabha by-election from Haryana on Friday.
Sharma collected her certificate from the returning officer in Chandigarh today.
Speaking to ANI, Sharma asserted that she will work for the empowerment of women.
"...My priority is to raise the voices of people. A candidate is sent to Rajya Sabha so that they raise the voices of people. I have come from the Women's Commission; I have worked for 9 years. So, I will do whatever it is needed for their empowerment," the newly elected Rajya Sabha MP said.
Earlier, on Monday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced Sharma's name for the vacant Rajya Sabha seat from Haryana.
On Tuesday, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini had congratulated Sharma Sharma on her nomination from Haryana.
"Former Chairperson of the National Commission for Women, Rekha Sharma, has today filed her nomination for the Rajya Sabha by-election... I congratulate her and thank the central government for this step... Rekha Sharma is our only candidate; there is no other candidate from the opposition ... She will keep forwarding the issues of Haryana in Rajya Sabha," he said.
The bypoll for the vacant seat was necessitated as Krishna Lal Panwar of the BJP had quit his seat following his election as an MLA in the state assembly polls held in October.
Panwar is now a development and panchayat minister in the BJP government in Haryana. (ANI)
In the 90-member Haryana Assembly, the BJP enjoys a majority, having 48 members; the Congress has 37 seats, the INLD two, while three are Independents. The Independents also support the Nayab Singh Saini government. (ANI)