The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced nine candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha bypolls, signaling its intent to secure a majority in the Upper House. The party has long sought dominance in the Rajya Sabha, where it has traditionally relied on support from unaligned parties to push its legislative agenda. The upcoming bypolls are crucial for the BJP, which is currently six seats short of the majority mark.
Key Candidates Revealed
The list of candidates, released on Tuesday, includes prominent figures such as Union ministers Ravneet Singh Bittu, George Kurian, and the unexpected choice of Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra. Bittu is set to contest from Rajasthan, Kurian from Madhya Pradesh, and Mishra from Bihar. Other notable candidates include Mission Ranjan Das and Rameswar Teli from Assam, Kiran Choudhary from Haryana, Dhairyashil Patil from Maharashtra, Mamata Mohanta from Odisha, and Rajib Bhattacharjee from Tripura.
Odisha’s Mamata Mohanta: A Strategic Choice
One of the most notable selections is Mamata Mohanta from Odisha, who recently joined the BJP after resigning from both the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and her Rajya Sabha seat. Mohanta, a popular leader from the Kudumi community, was the BJP’s top choice for the Rajya Sabha. Her inclusion in the list highlights the party’s strategic efforts to strengthen its presence in Odisha, a state where it has been working to expand its influence.
The Stakes in the Bypolls
The upcoming bypolls will fill 12 Rajya Sabha seats, 10 of which were vacated when sitting members, including Union ministers Piyush Goyal, Sarbananda Sonowal, and Jyotiraditya Scindia, were elected to the Lok Sabha during the 2024 general elections. The bypolls, scheduled for September 3, 2024, are seen as a critical opportunity for the BJP to inch closer to a majority in the Rajya Sabha.
Currently, the BJP holds 87 seats in the 245-member Rajya Sabha, with its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners bringing the total to 105. With the support of 12 nominated members, the BJP’s effective strength is 117, just six seats short of the 123 needed for a majority.
As the bypolls approach, the BJP’s focus on securing these key seats underscores its determination to consolidate power in the Rajya Sabha, which has been a challenging goal for the party over the past decade. The results of these elections could significantly impact the BJP’s ability to advance its legislative agenda in the coming years.
(With inputs from agencies)
