Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on November 2, won 9 seats out of the 11 seats that it contested in Rajya Sabha, along with Janata Dal (United). This alliance made a total of 92 seats in the Upper House of the Parliament. Amidst the initial tally, Congress is looking at a major fall in the number, which is going to be less than 40 this year.

The BJP has set a target to acquire 123 seats in the Rajya Sabha, the crucial halfway mark in the upper house in the parliament. In the current stage, it seems an achievable one with the support of other parties such as JD(U), Republican Party of India, and AIADMK. With the coalition of such parties, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) might easily acquire over 110 seats in the Upper House.

In addition to this, BJP is also looking forward to the one vacant Rajya Sabha seat in Karnataka followed by the unfortunate death of MP Ashok Gasti, a member of BJP. Bypoll for this Karnataka RS seat has been scheduled on December 1. BJP’s overall tally would touch 93 in the winter session, with this additional seat which the party is confident of winning.

In addition to these major parties, the NDA has always had the support of other regional parties like the YSR Congress Party having 6 members, and the Biju Janata Dal that has 9 of its members in the Upper House. The Telangana Rashtra Samiti also has its 7 MPs in the upper house, which makes a total of 22 MPs from all these three parties.

However, the number of NDA members in RS has declined after Shiv Sena and Shiromani Akali Dal left the alliance. Also, after the demise of LJP leader and founder, Ram Vilas Paswan, one more seat is vacant in Bihar. Eight BJP members in Uttar Pradesh including Ram Gopal Yadav of Samajwadi Party leader, and Hardeep Singh Puri , Union Minister,  and one member in Uttarakhand have been elected unopposed on November 2.

As for the Congress, out of its current 40 MPs, 2 members including Raj Babbar and PL Punia are retiring on November 25. This will take the party’s total number of members effective then onwards to 38, which would be the lowest number it has ever seen. The term of the newly elected members to the upper house will be from November 25, 2020 to November 24, 2026.

The author is a student member of Amity Centre of Happiness.