In a significant political development, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has secured a majority in the Rajya Sabha following the recent by-elections. The NDA’s victory was solidified by the unopposed election of nine Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and two members from allied parties. This brings the total number of seats held by the NDA in the Rajya Sabha to 112, surpassing the majority mark.
Among the NDA allies, Nitin Patil, representing the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), secured a seat. Upendra Kushwaha, the President of Rashtriya Lok Morcha, was also elected unopposed from Bihar. This victory further strengthens the NDA’s position in the upper house, with the BJP alone now holding 96 seats.
Meanwhile, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, a senior Congress leader and advocate, was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Telangana. This election brings the Opposition’s INDIA bloc’s total number of seats in the upper house to 85.
Currently, there are eight vacant seats in the Rajya Sabha, with four from Jammu and Kashmir and four for nominated members. To secure a majority in the 245-member house, a party or coalition requires 119 seats. With the recent by-elections, the NDA has now comfortably crossed this threshold, solidifying its dominance in the Rajya Sabha.
