The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has successfully crossed the majority mark in the Rajya Sabha following the unopposed election of 12 new members to the Upper House.
The Rajya Sabha has a total of 245 seats, but with eight current vacancies, four from Jammu and Kashmir and four nominated, the house’s current strength stands at 237. This sets the majority mark at 119, with NDA successfully crossing this mark as it has now a total of 121 seats.
This makes BJP no longer depend upon the support of 11 members of YCP and 9 members of BJD, who are not part of NDA, but have been extending their support every time. But due to changed political equations, after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, both the parties are now forced to play opposition role in the Rajya Sabha.
This development further consolidates the NDA’s position in the Upper House of Parliament, enhancing its ability to pass key legislation. The BJP’s strength in the Rajya Sabha has risen to 96 following the unopposed election of its nine members, bringing the National Democratic Alliance to a total of 121 seats in the Upper House.
Meanwhile, two members from the NDA’s allies, including one each from Ajit Pawar’s faction of the NCP and the Rashtriya Lok Manch, were also elected unopposed. Additionally, the ruling alliance enjoys the backing of six nominated members and one independent member. Meanwhile, the Congress saw one of its members elected, bringing the Opposition’s numbers in the Rajya Sabha to 85.
The BJP candidates elected unopposed included Ravneet Singh Bittu from Rajasthan, Manan Kumar Mishra from Bihar, Kiran Choudhry from Haryana, George Kurien from Madhya Pradesh, Dhirya Sheel Patil from Maharashtra, Rajeev Bhattacharjee from Tripura, Mamata Mohanta from Odisha, Mission Ranjan Dass and Rameshwar Teli from Assam.
Meanwhile, Congress’s Abhishek Manu Singhvi was elected unopposed from Telangana. NCP Ajit Pawar faction’s Nitin Patil got elected from Maharashtra and RLM’s Upendra Kushwaha was elected to the upper house from Bihar.