Modi-led NDA Falls Short in Rajya Sabha of Majority Mark
The Narendra Modi-led NDA falls short of the majority mark in the Rajya Sabha as four nominated members retire. With the retirement of these members, the BJP’s tally in the Rajya Sabha now stands at 86 seats, and the overall strength of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the BJP, has been reduced to 101 seats.
This significant change poses a challenge for the ruling BJP. The NDA’s strength in the Rajya Sabha is now 101 seats, falling short of the majority mark of 113 in the 245-member House. As a result, the government will need to rely on non-NDA allies to pass legislation.
Impact of the Retirement
The four retiring members are Rakesh Sinha, Ram Shakal, Sonal Mansingh, and Mahesh Jethmalani. These members were nominated by President Droupadi Murmu on the recommendation of the BJP. Their retirement reduces the BJP’s strength in the Rajya Sabha to 86 seats.
Key Non-NDA Allies
With the BJP’s party strength down to 86, the NDA in Rajya Sabha falls short of the majority mark. This situation means the government must depend on non-NDA parties, including the AIADMK and Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSR Congress Party, to pass bills. The AIADMK has four MPs, and the YSRCP has 11 members, both of whom have supported the ruling party in the past.
Another important player is Naveen Patnaik’s BJD, which has nine MPs in the Rajya Sabha. While the BJD has supported the BJP in the past, Naveen Patnaik recently stated that the party would no longer extend its support following a defeat to the BJP in the Odisha Assembly polls.
Future Implications of NDA-led Government
The numbers in the Sabha are expected to change after the upcoming assembly elections in states like Maharashtra, Haryana, and Jharkhand, scheduled for later this year. Currently, the Rajya Sabha has 225 members, with the Congress-led INDIA bloc holding 87 seats. This includes 26 seats from the Congress, 13 from the Trinamool Congress, and 10 each from the Aam Aadmi Party and the DMK.
The BJP, already holding 240 members in the lower house, now falls short of the majority mark in both houses of Parliament. This dependency on non-NDA parties is likely to continue until the BJP can fill the four vacant nominated seats and the 11 elected seats expected to be contested later this year.
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Rajya Sabha Composition
Currently, there are 20 vacant seats in the Rajya Sabha, including 11 held by elected members for which elections are anticipated this year. These vacancies include seats in Maharashtra, Assam, Bihar, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Tripura, and Jammu and Kashmir. The elections in Jammu and Kashmir are particularly notable, with a Supreme Court directive to hold Assembly elections by September 30.
The Narendra Modi-led NDA falls short of the majority mark in the seat count, presenting a significant hurdle for the ruling party. The retirement of four nominated members has reduced the BJP’s strength, necessitating support from non-NDA allies to pass crucial legislation. As upcoming elections could further alter the balance of power, the BJP will need to navigate this challenging landscape with strategic alliances and support from key non-NDA parties.
