This Thursday was #TriumphantThursday of the saffron party. BJP, overtaking the oldest political party of India, went on to enjoy the largest representation in the Rajya Sabha. As compared to the opposition, the NDA now has 58 members in one of the upper houses. The victory came ahead of the 2019 parliamentary polls, a pleasant surprise for the NDA coalition.
BJP became the largest political party in the Rajya Sabha after its MP Sampatiya Uikey took his oath in the Upper House, following a by-poll in Madhya Pradesh. Uikey had replaced former union minister Anil Madhav Dave after his death. Bhartiya Janta Party has been enjoying unchallenged power in the Parliament, ever since PM Narendra Modi rose to power in May 2014. Can’t say we’re surprised, as the party is candidly riding the ‘Modi wave’ towards victory.
The recent tie-ups with JD(U) or Janta Dal United in Bihar further boosted its number in the House, pushing BJP to a decisive majority.
Despite this gain, the party is far behind the total number of opposition leaders in Rajya Sabha. The NDA, including 58 BJP members and their allies like AIADMK (13), accounts for 101 members. On the other hand, the Congress has 57 members. 66 members are from other opposition parties. Together, they make up 123 members in the house of 245.
The recent tie-ups with JD(U) or Janta Dal United in Bihar further boosted its number in the House, pushing BJP to a decisive majority. The party, recharged after this accomplishment, sees union minister Venkaiah Naidu as the next Vice President of India.
The Electoral College, which elects contenders for the top constitutional posts, has total 790 members. Out of these, the NDA claims to get close to 550 votes in Naidu’s support. If the numbers are to be believed, the NDA currently enjoys a comfortable majority in the upper house.
Political analysts predict that BJP’s tally can reach up to 70, whereas the Congress may go down by 10 seats. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will enter the Rajya Sabha for the first time, this January. The ruling BJP has successfully managed to turn the tables in last 2-3 years. In India, the current political equations are no less interesting than the House of Cards.
