NDA Crosses Majority Mark In Rajya Sabha After 12 Members Elected Unopposed

Nine BJP and three alliance members were elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha, enhancing the NDA's majority. This facilitates easier passage of legislation, reinforcing the ruling coalition's position in the Upper House.

Twelve candidates, including nine from the BJP, two from its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), and one from Congress, have been elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha. This development strengthens the NDA's position in the Upper House of Parliament, facilitating smoother passage of bills.

Among those elected are Union Ministers Ravneet Singh Bittu from Rajasthan and George Kurien from Madhya Pradesh. Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi has secured a seat from Telangana. The BJP's unopposed candidates include Mission Ranjan Dass and Rameshwar Teli from Assam, Manan Kumar Mishra from Bihar, Kiran Chaudhary from Haryana, Dhiryasheel Patil from Maharashtra, Mamata Mohanta from Odisha, and Rajeeb Bhattacharjee from Tripura.

NDA's Strength in Rajya Sabha

The NDA had 110 MPs in the Rajya Sabha before these elections, including nominated members. This number has now increased to 121. With 237 members currently in the Upper House, the majority mark stands at 119. There are still eight vacancies, including four seats from Jammu and Kashmir.

The BJP will now have 96 members in the Rajya Sabha while Congress will have 27. This majority is expected to aid the BJP in passing key legislations such as the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which is under review by a Joint Parliamentary Committee.

Newly Elected Members

NCP's Nitin Patil has been elected from Maharashtra, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha leader Upendra Kushwaha has secured a seat from Bihar. Both NCP and RLM are allies of the BJP. These additions further bolster the NDA's numbers in Parliament.

Ten Rajya Sabha seats became vacant after their sitting members were elected to Lok Sabha during this year's general elections. Additionally, bypolls were held for one seat each in Telangana and Odisha.

With these results, the NDA's increased strength in Rajya Sabha is likely to ensure smoother legislative processes for the ruling alliance. The enhanced majority will help pass crucial bills without significant opposition hurdles.