The Rajya Sabha poll results on February 27 have far reaching implications for domestic politics, not just the unfurling crisis with regard to the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, where six MLAs cross-voted in favour of the BJP, or in Uttar Pradesh where the Samajwadi Party (SP) lost its chief whip along with seven MLAs.
The effect of the polls is the netting of two extra seats in the Rajya Sabha for the BJP, and the NDA rising just four seats short of a majority in the Upper House. The BJP and the NDA have since 2014 enjoyed a full majority in the Lok Sabha, and have had no trouble with the passage of any legislation, not so in the Rajya Sabha, where in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first term, March 2015 in fact, the government had to face the ignominy of seeing amendments by the Opposition being carried through. That amendments were moved by the Opposition to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address over corruption and black money.
Himachal Pradesh political crisis live updates, February 28, 2024
