BJP’s strength in Rajya Sabha dips to 86: Will it hinder passage of key bills?

The current strength of the Rajya Sabha is 225.

The BJP’s strength in Rajya Sabha has been reduced to 86 after four nominated members retired last week.

Currently, the strength of the NDA is 101, which is below the current majority mark of 113 in the 245-member House.

The current strength of the Rajya Sabha is 225.

Meanwhile, the opposition INDIA bloc has 87 members in the upper house.

Congress has the maximum representation at 26 followed by Trinamool Congress (13), Aam Aadmi Party (10) and DMK (10).

How will BJP’s numbers impact the passing of key legislation?

The NDA has the support of the seven remaining nominated MPs and an independent.

This means that BJP can still get key legislations passed in the House with the support of seven non-aligned nominated members, two independents and friendly parties during the upcoming Union Budget session.

However, it won't be easy sailing for NDA since BJD, a non-allied party which has often come to the saffron party's aid, has refused to support BJP after its drubbing in Odisha.

How many vacant seats are there in Rajya Sabha?

There are 20 vacant seats in the Upper House. Out of the vacant seats, two are each in Assam, Bihar and Maharashtra and one each in Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Tripura.

The NDA is said to have the numbers to win seven seats from Assam, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Tripura. If it can keep its flock together in Maharashtra, it will win two more there. This could give the BJP nine extra seats.

If it wins those, and with the nominated members' and YSRCP votes, it will have enough to cross the majority mark.

What happens with BJP’s seat reduction?

Without the majority mark, the BJP still has to rely on non-NDA parties - such as YSR Congress, BJD and AIADMK to see its bills through in the Upper House.

At least until it can fill the four nominated seats and win the election for 11 vacant seats due this year.

To pass any bill now, the BJP will need 15 votes from the NDA parties and 12 more from others.

Seven of those 12 must come from the remaining nominated MPs. Another eight could come from an independent member, leaving the ruling party just four short of the magic mark of 113.

To hit that mark, the YSRCP is the BJP’s best option. Jagan Reddy's YSRCP has lent issue-based support to the BJP in the past. Hence, it is expected to give those 11 votes to the BJP.

The BJD has nine Rajya Sabha MPs. However, it has refused to lend any support to the BJP.

There can be at most 12 nominated members. Although non-aligned when brought in, they tend to support the ruling party as they are brought in by the government.

Rajya Sabha MPs are elected by MLAs through the proportional representation process with the single transferable vote (STV) system. Each MLA’s vote is counted only once.