Bittu from Rajasthan, Kurian from MP: BJP names nine for RS bypolls

For the BJP, which is expected to win almost all the seats, the bypolls are crucial in pushing the NDA’s Rajya Sabha tally past the majority mark, a key factor in passing Bills.

In the last 10 years, despite enjoying a comfortable majority in the Lok Sabha, the NDA numbers fell short in Rajya Sabha and the Government had to rely on ‘neutral’ parties such as BJD and YSRCP to pass Bills. With the two parties having changed tack — the BJP defeated BJD in Odisha this time, and allied with YSRCP’s rival TDP in Andhra Pradesh — a boost in the Upper House will provide the NDA much-needed relief.

The current effective strength of Rajya Sabha is 229: of this, the BJP has 87 MPs, with the NDA allies taking the number to 105. The support of six nominated MPs takes the NDA’s strength further up to 111, four short of half-way mark. The Opposition has 84 members: Congress 26, and allies 58.

Several of the 12 seats fell vacant as the sitting members, including Union Ministers Piyush Goyal, Sarbananda Sonowal and Jyotiraditya Scindia, were elected to the Lok Sabha.

Bittu, grandson of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, joined BJP in March this year and contested the Lok Sabha polls. He lost, but was appointed as a Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries and Railways. Under rules, a minister who is not a member of either House of Parliament for six consecutive months shall cease to hold the post.

Choudhry, who has been a four-time Congress MLA from Haryana’s Tosham Assembly constituency, joined the BJP in June.

Mohanta, too, recently joined the party after resigning from the Rajya Sabha and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). Mohanta belongs to the Kudumi community which has a significant presence in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district and the areas along the Jharkhand border. Given the BJP’s numbers in the state Assembly, she is set to be re-elected unopposed.

Manan Mishra, a Supreme Court lawyer from Bihar, is chairperson of Bar Council of India.