Alliance currently holds 148 seats in the 245-member upper house and is projected to gain three more seats through elections in Jharkhand and Mizoram
Kashmir Impulse Desk
New Delhi, June 14
India’s ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is expected to move closer to securing a two-thirds majority in the Rajya Sabha following ongoing upper house elections and anticipated gains arising from vacancies in West Bengal, according to political sources.
The alliance currently holds 148 seats in the 245-member upper house and is projected to gain three more seats through elections in Jharkhand and Mizoram, sources said.
Further gains could come from West Bengal, where vacancies created by the resignation of Trinamool Congress lawmakers are expected to be filled in upcoming by-elections, potentially raising the NDA’s tally to 154.
A two-thirds majority in the Rajya Sabha requires 163 members and is considered crucial for the passage of constitutional amendment bills.
Sources said additional resignations by Trinamool Congress members could further improve the alliance’s prospects, although future retirements from Uttar Pradesh later this year may alter the balance of numbers.
Despite potential gains in the upper house, the NDA remains well short of the two-thirds threshold in the Lok Sabha, where 363 votes are required in the full-strength chamber to pass constitutional amendments.
The parliamentary arithmetic has gained significance as the government seeks to maintain legislative momentum while opposition parties attempt to consolidate support following recent political realignments.
