BJP number in Lok Sabha: Party still three ahead of majority mark

The BJP's numbers in the Lok Sabha has slipped very close to the half way mark in the Lok Sabha following the resignations of B S Yeddyurappa, B Sriramulu and also the by-poll results that were declared on Thursday.

The BJP's tally in the Lok Sabha or the lower house of Parliament now stands at 273 after it retained the Palghar seat in Maharashtra. The half way mark in the Lok Sabha is 270 as four seats-three in Karnataka and one in Jammu and Kashmir lies vacant.

For now the BJP is three above the half way mark. However any more changes in the combinations in the near future would mean the party would need the support of its allies.

In the recent past, the BJP has won just two Lok Sabha by-polls while losing out on seven. The three big losses for the BJP in recent times have been in Uttar Pradesh where it lost the Kairana, Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha seats.

In the year 2014, the strength of the BJP was at 282. With 273, the BJP is still not a minority government. The Speaker does not cast his or her vote in a trust vote, but exercises her franchise in case of a tie in the 543 member house.

The BJP since it came to power in 2014 has seen a drop in its numbers. It was at 282 in 2014, but the numbers have come down after it lost the by-polls at Ajmer and Alwar in Rajasthan, Gorakhpur and Phulpur in Uttar Pradesh, Gurdaspur in Punjab, Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh. It however won the by-polls at Lakhimpur, Shahdol, Beed, Kandhamal and Vadodara.

The BJP would however not be reduced to a minority even if it were to lose anymore elections. It has the support of its allies- Lok Jan Shakti Party, Shiromani Akali Dal and JD(U) which account for 12 seats.