NDA's strength in RS reduces further as JD(U) leaves

New Delhi, Aug 10:  BJP-led NDA's strength further reduced in the Rajya Sabha after Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) left the alliance and formed a government in Bihar with RJD and others.

Kumar's JD(U) has five members in the House, including Vice-Chairman Harivansh.

The strength of Rajya Sabha is 237 and there are eight vacancies which include four from Jammu and Kashmir, one from Tripura and three to be nominated. The halfway mark is 119 in the House and the ruling NDA strength was 114, which includes five nominated MPs, one independent and five JD(U).

The NDA did not have a majority when Kumar's JD(U) was part of the alliance. After the

JD(U) left the alliance, the NDA's number was reduced to 109 from 114. Now the NDA is 10 short of the halfway mark.

The BJP, which is in power in the state, will win Tripura whenever an election is held and the government can nominate three more members. The NDA's strength will go up to 113, which is still short of the halfway mark.

The ruling alliance will need support of smaller parties like BJD and YSRCP to pass the crucial bill in the Upper House. Both the BJD and YSRCP have nine members each, while the BJP has 91 members.

During recent President and Vice-President polls, the ruling alliance got support from the BJD, YSRC, TDP, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and BSP apart from NDA partners.

After SAD and Shiv Sena, JD(U) became the third party to leave the NDA. The TDP had left the NDA before the 2019 general elections.

While in opposition parties, Congress is the largest party with 31 members in the Rajya Sabha followed by TMC with 13 members.

The DMC and AAP have 10 members each.