New Delhi: The ruling National Democratic Alliance, or the NDA’s, tally in the Rajya Sabha has increased to 115 with the unopposed election of 11 members — nine from the BJP and two from its allies, the Janata Dal United and the NCP (Ajit Pawar). The ruling alliance also has the support of six nominated members. Of the 12 vacancies that had arisen, the Congress bagged one seat from Telangana.
The BJP alone has 96 members in the Upper House, making it the single largest party, but the ruling coalition is still short of the half-way mark of 119.
Among those elected unopposed are union minister of state for Minority Affairs, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, George Kurien.
The ruling alliance also has the support of six nominated members and one independent member.
With the extra seat for the Congress, Opposition numbers in the Upper House are at 85.
The Rajya Sabha has 245 seats, though currently there are eight vacancies, four from Jammu and Kashmir and four seats for nominated members.
Among the BJP candidates elected unopposed are Ranjan Dass and Rameshwar Teli from Assam, Manan Kumar Mishra from Bihar, Kiran Chaudhary from Haryana, Dhirya Sheel Patil from Maharashtra, Mamata Mohanta from Odisha, Ravneet Singh Bittu from Rajasthan and Rajeev Bhattacharjee from Tripura.
The Congress’s Abhishek Manu Singhvi was elected unopposed from Telangana. NCP Ajit Pawar faction’s Nitin Patil was elected from Maharashtra and RLM’s Updendra Kushwaha made it to the upper house from Bihar.
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