BJP's Rajya Sabha Numbers Drop to 86, NDA Loses Majority

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) strength in the Rajya Sabha has dropped below 90 after four of its members concluded their term on Saturday, July 13. Pinning their hopes on the upcoming by-elections, the BJP expects to redeem their losses.

With the exit of Sonal Mansingh, Mahesh Jethmalani, Rakesh Sinha, and Ram Shakal, the BJP's strength has plummeted to 86 seats. Consequently, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) now holds 101 seats, which is below the current majority mark of 113 in the 245-member Rajya Sabha.

The BJP-led NDA expects to secure two seats each in Bihar, Maharashtra, and Assam, along with one seat each in Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Tripura, based on their greater numbers against the Opposition. It is anticipated that the four newly-nominated members will align with the Treasury benches once named by the government. Though nominated members do not represent any political party in the House, conventionally, they support the agenda of the government that selects them.

Currently, there are a total of 19 vacant seats in the Rajya Sabha, four of which are from Jammu and Kashmir, where there has been no Assembly since 2019. The Congress aims to win the lone seat in Telangana at the expense of the BRS, but any gain will be offset in Rajasthan, where the BJP, holding a strong majority, will secure the seat left by KC Venugopal, a senior opposition member who won the Lok Sabha poll from Alappuzha in Kerala.

Additionally, the BJP is confident of winning the lone seat in Haryana, filling the vacancy caused by the election of its Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Singh Hooda to Lok Sabha.

The Election Commission (EC) has yet to announce the date for elections to fill the 11 vacancies created by the resignation of as many members.