NDA now falls 13 seats short of majority in Rajya Sabha

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: Four nominated members of the Rajya Sabha from the Bharatiya Janata Party retired on Saturday, leaving the National Democratic Alliance 13 seats short of the majority mark in the Upper House of Parliament.

The total number of seats in the Upper House is 245, but the current strength is 226 due to 19 vacancies. The number required to achieve the majority is currently 113.

The four nominated members who completed their terms are Rakesh Sinha, Ram Shakal, Sonal Mansingh, and Mahesh Jethmalani. They were chosen as non-aligned members by President Droupadi Murmu on the advice of the BJP and subsequently formally allied with the ruling party.

Their retirement has reduced the BJP’s strength in the Rajya Sabha to 86 and that of the NDA to 101. The Opposition INDIA bloc has 87 members in the Rajya Sabha. Twenty-six of them come from Congress, while the Trinamool Congress has 13 members.

The Aam Aadmi Party and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam have 10 members each in the Upper House.