NDA Closes Gap, Just 3 Seats Away from Majority In Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: The BJP-led NDA is just three short seats of majority in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of parliament, following recent election results. Out of the 56 Rajya Sabha seats contested this month, the BJP secured 30, bringing its tally to 97, and the NDA to 118.

Earlier this month, candidates for 41 seats were elected unopposed. Subsequently, elections were held for 15 seats across three states, where the BJP secured additional victories, including in Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, due to cross-voting by MLAs of opposition parties.

Currently, with five vacant seats, including four in Jammu and Kashmir under the President’s Rule, and one nominated member seat, the strength of the house stands at 240, with a majority mark of 121.

The BJP’s dominance in the Lok Sabha underscores the significance of its numbers in the Rajya Sabha for the passage of bills. Despite lacking a majority before 2019, the NDA government succeeded in passing crucial bills, such as the repeal of Article 370 and the abolition of triple talaq, with support from neutral parties like the Biju Janata Dal and YSR Congress.

For the Congress-led Opposition, a minority position in the Rajya Sabha poses significant challenges. Meanwhile, discussions within the INDIA bloc, particularly regarding seat sharing in Maharashtra, are ongoing, with the Congress expected to finalize arrangements in an evening meeting with allies Shiv Sena and Sharad Pawar’s faction of the Nationalist Congress Party.