The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is inching towards a majority in the Rajya Sabha as the ruling alliance won at least seven out of the 19 seats that went to polls on Friday. The NDA also bagged three out of the five uncontested seats, the results of which were announced earlier.
While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) maintained its dominance in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and the North-East, the Congress, too, had its share of gains in Rajasthan. Polling and counting for elections took place on Friday. Results in the high-stake states such as MP, Rajasthan and Jharkhand were on expected lines, but Gujarat, where Congress has raised objections on certain voting norms, was a cliffhanger. Till late Friday, results for Gujarat were not out. BJP is expected to win at least two seats.
On Friday, the BJP-led NDA won two seats in MP, and one each in Rajasthan, Manipur, Meghalaya and Jharkhand. It has already won two seats in Karnataka and one in Arunachal Pradesh. The Congress won two seats in Rajasthan, one in Madhya Pradesh and also registered a win on one seat in Karnataka earlier. YSRCP Congress bagged all four seats at stake in Andhra Pradesh in the Friday polls.
The increased tally is crucial for the NDA as its impact would be visible in the monsoon session of Parliament, dates of which are yet to be announced, with the ruling BJP likely to push its legislative agenda.
The opposition strength in the Rajya Sabha has been a constant challenge for Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government even as the NDA has complete dominance over the proceedings in the Lok Sabha.
The outcome of the election is also reflective of the performance of BJP and its partners in the assembly polls. A change in government in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, and resignation of opposition legislators in Gujarat has worked in favour of the BJP-NDA combine. NDA believes Rajya Sabha is the final frontier as it is the only forum where the opposition is strong.
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