BJP number in Rajya Sabha: NDA consolidates tally

For the BJP, the Rajya Sabha had always been problematic as it lacked in numbers. However, with the Rajya Sabha Elections conducted on Friday, the BJP has consolidated its position in the Upper House of Parliament.

The high-octane contest was in Uttar Pradesh where the BJP overcame the new found love between the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party. The BJP managed to send its 9th candidate to the Rajya Sabha by defeating the BSP's sole candidate.

There were 59 Rajya Sabha that was to be filled. 33 candidates from 10 states were elected unopposed on March 15. The BJP alone accounted for 16 of these candidates. Out of the 58 Rajya Sabha seats that will fall vacant this April, the BJP has managed to bag 28, the Congress has got 10 and 20 seats have been won by other parties.

Prior to the elections, the BJP was the largest party in the House with 58 MPs, followed by the Congress with 54. With these results on Friday, the tally of the BJP in Rajya Sabha rises to 69.

Following the developments on Friday, the BJP led NDA now has 87 seats in the 245 seat Rajya Sabha. The Congress-led UPA has 57 while the other parties together account for the remaining 100 seats.

OneIndia News