BJP’s Rajya Sabha tally dips to 86, NDA 101
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s strength in the Rajya Sabha has dropped to 86 after four of its members completed their term on July 13, marking the first decline in several years.
The members were Sonal Mansingh, Mahesh Jethmalani, Rakesh Sinha, and Ram Shakal.
They were nominated by President Droupadi Murmu as non-aligned members on the advice of the ruling party, and subsequently formally allied with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.
With their exit, the BJP’s strength in the lower house has decreased to 86, while the National Democratic Alliance now stands at 101 seats. This falls short of the current majority mark of 113 in the 245-member House.
The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) expects to secure two seats each in Bihar, Maharashtra, and Assam, as well as one seat each in Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Tripura, leveraging their numerical advantage over the opposition.
The four newly nominated members are also anticipated to align with the treasury benches once appointed by the government.
Though nominated members are usually independent in the House in terms of their party affiliation, they are traditionally supportive of the agenda of the government which picks them.