BJP Faces Setback in Rajya Sabha with Nominated Members Retiring

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) encountered a setback in the Upper House of the Parliament, the Rajya Sabha, as four of its crucial nominated members completed their terms on Saturday, July 13. These members, namely Rakesh Sinha, Ram Shakal, Sonal Mansingh, and Mahesh Jethmalani, saw their tenure come to an end.

Following the retirement of these members, the BJP’s representation in the Rajya Sabha has shrunk to 86 seats. This dip in numbers has also impacted the overall strength of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which now stands at 101 seats. However, this count falls short of the current majority mark of 113 in the 245-member Rajya Sabha.

On the opposing front, the Congress-led block holds a total of 87 seats, with the Congress itself commanding 26 seats. Other significant parties in this alliance include the Trinamool Congress with 13 seats, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) with 10 seats each.

With the reduced numbers, the BJP now needs to rely on the support of non-NDA parties in the Rajya Sabha. Notable potential allies include the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) in Tamil Nadu and the Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) led by Jagan Mohan Reddy in Andhra Pradesh.

Jagan Reddy, known for issue-based support, has previously extended assistance to the government. Meanwhile, Naveen Patnaik‘s Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha, who provided support, announced disengagement from backing the BJP post losing power after 24 years in a fierce battle during the 2024 elections.

As the BJP and NDA’s numbers fall short of the majority mark in the Rajya Sabha, the government’s dependency on former allies like the AIADMK and YSRCP intensifies. The situation is expected to persist until the vacancies from the four retired nominated seats and the upcoming 11 vacant seats, slated for later in the year, are filled through elections.

Currently, there are 19 vacant seats in the Rajya Sabha, including crucial ones from states such as Maharashtra, Assam, Bihar, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Tripura. Additionally, with four seats vacant from Jammu and Kashmir, elections are on the horizon following a directive to conduct Assembly polls in the region by September 30.