Bengaluru : Two vacancies are set to reshape the balance of power in the state’s Upper House. These vacancies will arise with the retirement of Congress MLCs Prakash Rathod and UB Venkatesh, prompting the party to gear up to secure these seats.
However, the unexpected resignation of CP Yogeshwara has created a third vacancy, potentially tipping the scales significantly in Congress’s favor. Additionally, JDS MLC Thippeswamy is set to retire in January.
This scenario presents Congress with a rare opportunity to fill all four vacancies through nominations, potentially securing control of the Upper House for the first time since it came to power in May 2023. This shift could allow Congress to claim not only the chairperson’s post but also the deputy chairperson’s position, marking a significant power shift long sought by the party in the state.
With a newfound majority, Congress could secure the chairperson’s post for the first time this term, cementing its dominance in the Upper House for the remainder of the Assembly’s tenure. However, the critical question remains: who will take up the roles of chairperson and deputy chairperson?
“This majority will be a huge relief for us. In the past, when we lacked the numbers, the opposition deliberately blocked our important bills,” said NS Bose Raju, leader of Congress in the Upper House, in an interview with The New Indian Express.
Currently, Congress holds 36 seats in the 75-member Upper House, while the opposition, led by the BJP with 29 seats and the JDS with 8, has a slim majority of 37 seats. However, that edge is rapidly eroding as Congress inches closer to gaining control. The final seat count is expected to shift in Congress’s favor by the budget session.
Once the governor approves Congress’s four nominees and appoints them, the party will need to prove its majority on the House floor, likely during the budget session in February 2025.
Thus, this session will be pivotal for Congress.
