NEW DELHI: With seven MPs of AAP in the Rajya Sabha switching sides on Friday, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) moved a step closer to attaining a stronger position of hitting the two-thirds majority mark in the House, required for specific voting purposes and the passage of constitutional amendment legislation.
However, the ruling alliance is still 17 members short of the magical number in the Upper House. With the dramatic shift by the Aam Aadmi Party MPs, the NDA now enjoys the support of 145 MPs in the Upper House. The two-thirds majority mark in the 244-member House now stands at 163.
The BJP, which is leading the alliance, is still 10 seats short for a simple majority in the House. A position that poses a challenge to the party.
After Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan approves the merger of the AAP Parliamentary Party into the BJP, the ruling party will now have a total of 113 MPs. At present, the BJP has 106 MPs.
The ruling party is also likely to get the support of seven nominated members and two independent MPs, which puts the number of those who are in the BJP’s support at 122, exactly the halfway mark.
Sources said that the seven AAP MPs, who had jumped ship, may get the approval as they comprise more than two-thirds of the AAP Parliamentary Party in Rajya Sabha.
Once the NDA gets a two-thirds majority in the Upper House, it won’t be difficult for the alliance to clear crucial legislations requiring constitutional amendments.
The NDA does not have a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha either, even though it enjoys a simple majority. It needs the support of 363 MPs for a special majority in the Lower House.
It is pertinent to mention here that the crucial Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill to implement a 33% reservation for women in legislatures in 2029 and increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816 was defeated in Lok Sabha on April 17 after the NDA failed to get a two-thirds majority.
This was the first time during the term of the current NDA government that a constitution amendment bill was defeated for a lack of numbers.