Voting for 37 Rajya Sabha seats on March 16; cross-voting concerns rise

37 Rajya Sabha seats from 10 states will become vacant in April. Voting for these seats is scheduled for March 16th. The BJP is steadily gaining ground in terms of numbers in the Rajya Sabha. However, the real challenge lies with the Congress and opposition parties. There are many seats where the Congress could win, but history shows that it has lost even the seats it won many times due to cross-voting. Therefore, preventing cross-voting will be more important for the country's oldest party this time than winning.

An Opportunity to Show Unity

This year, assembly elections are scheduled in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry. Before that, through the Rajya Sabha elections, Congress wants to send a message that all is well and there is unity within the party. These elections are also important for opposition unity.

The Rajya Sabha elections will pose a challenge for political parties to keep their MLAs together. Last time, Congress faced cross-voting in Haryana. Therefore, this time, Congress and its allies will have to be cautious. While the results of some seats are considered certain, if the opposition cannot prevent cross-voting, it will lose seats.

The Game Begins in Haryana

The terms of BJP MPs Kiran Chaudhary and Ramchandra Jangra from Haryana are set to end on April 9th. In the 90-member Haryana Assembly, one seat could go to the BJP and one to the Congress. However, the game has already begun here. In August 2022, Congress's Ajay Maken lost due to cross-voting, while independent candidate Kartikeya Sharma, supported by the BJP and the JJP, won. In Haryana, the support of 31 MLAs is required to win a Rajya Sabha seat. The BJP has 48 MLAs and the Congress 37.

Tangle in Himachal-Bihar

An election will be held for one Rajya Sabha seat in the 68-member Himachal Assembly. Despite having 40 MLAs, the Congress will have to be cautious. In 2024, senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi lost despite having a majority. At that time, some Congress MLAs and independents helped the BJP candidate win. Currently, the BJP has 28 MLAs. The Congress is worried that the same thing may happen this time.

Elections are to be held for five seats in Bihar. To win a seat in the 243-member Assembly, the support of 41 MLAs is required. The NDA has 202 MLAs, ensuring its victory in four seats. There are fears that the opposition alliance, INDIA, with its 35 seats, will not be able to win even a single seat on its own. In such a situation, the role of AIMIM, with its five MLAs, becomes crucial. If the entire opposition unites here, they could secure a seat. In such a situation, unity between the RJD, Congress, the Left, and other allies will be essential.