The countdown to Rajya Sabha elections has political parties in overdrive, with 37 seats across 10 states set for March 16 voting. BJP-led NDA eyes expansion amid favorable math, but whispers of discord among allies threaten to overshadow opposition challenges.
NDA holds 12 of the 37 seats up for renewal, against INDIA’s 25. Victory could net the alliance 3-4 extra seats, boosting BJP from nine to 12 in some projections. Yet, the path is fraught: Bihar’s five seats pit NDA’s 202 MLAs against a 205-vote threshold, with opposition eyeing one via AIMIM-BSP support.
Bihar’s intrigue centers on the fifth seat. BJP and JD(U) claim two each, leaving smaller partners—Chirag Paswan’s LJP, Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM, and RLSP—in a fierce tussle. This internal rivalry could hand opposition an unlikely win if unity falters.
In Maharashtra, Mahayuti’s dominance (235/288 MLAs) promises six of seven seats. Shiv Sena pushes for two, BJP counters with a 3+1 formula including RPI. Sharad Pawar’s shadow looms large; an independent candidacy might spark defections, testing loyalties.
Elsewhere, outcomes look steadier. DMK sweeps four in Tamil Nadu, AIADMK one, one battleground. TMC secures four in Bengal, BJP hunts the fifth. Odisha tilts toward BJP (potentially three), Assam favors BJP (two), while Haryana, Chhattisgarh split 1-1, and Congress eyes Telangana, Himachal.
Amit Shah’s Bihar sojourn signals damage control. Success here fortifies NDA’s Rajya Sabha ambitions; discord amplifies risks. This election transcends seats—it’s about alliance endurance in the face of competing egos.