NEW DELHI : The stage is all set for elections to 24 Rajya Sabha seats across 10 states on June 18, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its NDA allies expected to emerge as the principal beneficiaries in several states.
An important meeting of the BJP Central Election Committee, chaired by PM Narendra Modi, National President Nitin Nabin, HM Amit Shah, along with other members of the Parliamentary Board and CEC members, is expected to be held today.
The seats are spread across Andhra Pradesh (4), Gujarat (4), Karnataka (4), Madhya Pradesh (3), Rajasthan (3), Jharkhand (2), Manipur (1), Meghalaya (1), Arunachal Pradesh (1) and Mizoram (1) and Maharashtra by-poll seat.
Sunetra Pawar retired recently from the upper house after deciding to go to Maharashtra as the Deputy CM. She has a pending term of two years, which is likely to be taken by her party.
According to party sources, the BJP is expected to contest seats on its own in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Jharkhand, while NDA allies will take the lead in Andhra Pradesh and Meghalaya along with Maharashtra.
The election comes against the backdrop of the retirement of several prominent NDA figures from the Upper House. Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda is unlikely to return to the Rajya Sabha as the JD(S) lacks the numbers required for re-election. Union Ministers George Kurien, who represents Madhya Pradesh, and Ravneet Singh Bittu, elected from Rajasthan, are also among those completing their current terms.
In Andhra Pradesh, the NDA is expected to sweep all four seats. Sources indicate that the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) may contest three of the four seats, while the remaining seat could be allotted to either the BJP or Jana Sena Party.
In Gujarat, the BJP’s numerical strength places it in a strong position to secure all four seats. In Madhya Pradesh, the saffron party is comfortably placed to win two of the three seats on offer.
Rajasthan is also expected to favour the BJP, which has the numbers to secure two of the state’s three seats. In Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, the party is widely expected to win the lone seat in each state.
Karnataka presents a more competitive contest, though the BJP is expected to retain one winnable seat. In Jharkhand, the party is likely to make a push for one of the two seats being contested.
In Meghalaya, the ruling National People’s Party (NPP), an NDA ally, is believed to have sufficient support to secure the lone Rajya Sabha seat from the state.
At present, the NDA strength in the house for these 24 seats stands at 15. Given the sheer numbers, NDA is assured to win 17 out of 24 seats in the upcoming election.
With candidate selection discussions underway, the BJP’s Central Election Committee is expected to finalise names shortly, setting the stage for a crucial round of Rajya Sabha elections that could further strengthen the NDA’s position in the Upper House.
