NDA Poised to cross 130 in Rajya Sabha as 37 seats go to polls on March 16
NDA Poised to cross 130 in Rajya Sabha as 37 seats go to polls on March 16
BJP-led NDA eyes a bigger upper house majority as polling for 37 Rajya Sabha seats takes place across 10 states on March 16, with counting later the same day.
The NDA is set to further strengthen its Rajya Sabha tally after the biennial polls for 37 seats on March 16, with its current strength at 243 and vacancies in Jharkhand and West Bengal. The ruling alliance is expected to cross 130 seats in the Upper House, aided by at least four additional members from the states going to polls. The seats vacant in April span Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. NDA already governs six of these ten states — Maharashtra, Odisha, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Assam — giving it a clear edge in the elections. The opposition has governments in Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and West Bengal. In Maharashtra, the Mahayuti coalition is projected to win more seats (six) than the Maha Vikas Aaghadi’s (MVA) one seat, a significant advantage for the NDA in that state.
The MVA faces political maneuvering as it must decide between Sena UBT and NCP(SP) candidates. If the NCP(SP) sticks with Pawar, there are talks about whether the faction will merge with its ally. Supriya Sule did not rule out nominating her father, suggesting a MVA meeting would be held soon to finalise a name. The seven Maharashtra Rajya Sabha members whose terms end on April 2 include Sharad Pawar and others from the NCP-SP, BJP and Congress blocs, underscoring the high-stakes nature of the upcoming polls.
Election Commission of India has announced polling on March 16 from 9 am to 4 pm, with counting of votes scheduled for 5 pm on the same day, highlighting the rapid timeline from voting to results in this biennial exercise.
