Rajya Sabha polls: BJP all set to increase its tally

FACING DISSAPPOINTMENT: Many important Congress members are retiring from different states.

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New Delhi: Elections to the Rajya Sabha are of a different sort.

They do not affect the future or stability of the government, but they do give a huge morale boost.

For many years now the UPA has been in majority in the Rajya Sabha, but after today it might not enjoy that same comfort level.

At the moment the Congress has 71 members in the Upper House and the BJP has 46.

The biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha are for 56 seats.

Seven members are retiring from the state of Maharashtra. BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar makes his debut as an MP
Six each members are retiring from the states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. It is only in Andhra where the Congress has no worries.
• Five each are retiring from West Bengal and Bihar. In both the Congress is barely visible.

• Three each from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Assam are retiring. In the first two the BJP again has a clear advantage.
• Two each from Jharkhand, Haryana and Chattisgarh are retiring. In Jharkhand it’s a tough battle, too close to call, but again the Congress is in a spot. In Chattisgarh the Congress could only manage a seat for loyalist Motilal Vora.

Clearly embarrassed the Congress is playing down the issue.

“What is five per cent or 10 per cent down this year can be 10- 20 per cent up next year,” says Congress spokesperson, Abhishek Singhvi.

For the Congress, the timing isn't good. In an election year no government wants a reduced clout in any of the Houses especially when populist legislations and policies need to be pushed through.

And the loss of quite a few seats in the Rajya Sabha, the Congress is being deprived of the presence of some of its more important Parliamentarians.