by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

BJP may field 4 ex-CMs, top leaders in Jharkhand

After anticipating a drubbing in Haryana Assembly polls, the BJP leadership is leaving nothing to chance in Jharkhand and Maharashtra state polls to be held this year-end. It is contemplating fielding at least four former CMs and senior leaders in the Assembly to win the polls. Former CM  Arjun Munda, recent entrant former CM Champai Soren and veteran leader Babulal Marandi and former CM and current Odisha governor Raghubar Das may be fielded in the assembly polls. Alternatively, someone from his family may be brought in. The names of Union Woman and Child welfare Minister Annapurna Devi, and BJP's national secretary and former ST morcha chief, and Rajya Sabha MP Samir Oraon are also being mentioned in this regard. A final decision on Annapurna Devi is yet to be taken.

The BJP leadership moved with alacrity in Jharkhand to seal the deal with its NDA allies including JD (U) and Sudesh Mahato-led All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU). Another ally, LJP of Chirag Paswan is also insisting on a couple of seats. But the BJP seems unwilling. The seat-sharing formula is likely to be announced anytime. It may be mentioned that Union Agriculture and Food Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Assam CM Hemant Biswa Sarma, Incharge and co-incharge of Jharkhand election, have traveled to the state more than 15 times since June 17 to put BJP's best foot forward. In 2019, the BJP faced a serious setback when it contested the assembly polls alone and ended up winning only 25 out of 81 seats. The BJP may contest 68-71 seats leaving the rest for its allies. The ruling JMM, Congress, RJD, CPI, CPM and others are also finalizing seat-sharing deals.

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

RSS' first reaction in five month on ties with the BJP

“It's a Family Matter” Says Ambekar on Nadda's comments

The cat is finally out of the bag and it's official. For the first time, the RSS officially said that the organisation “solves 'family matters like family matters' and doesn't discuss such issues on public platforms.” But it acknowledged that there is a matter and needs to be solved within the family. This also indicates that the last word on controversy erupting within the Sangh Parivar over BJP president J P Nadda's comments in the midst of Lok Sabha poll campaign about the RSS, has not been written yet.

Sunil Ambekar, Joint general secretary of the RSS declined to discuss J P Nadda's comments in public today saying it's a 'family matter.' Nadda had said in May 2024 in the midst of Lok Sabha polls “In the beginning, we would have been less capable, smaller and needed the RSS (support). Today, we have grown and we are capable. The BJP runs itself. That’s the difference.”

Since then, the RSS had maintained a stony silence on the issue with the BJP not retracting or issuing any clarification on either. Therefore, Sunil Ambekar's reaction is extremely significant. It reflects that the issue is alive and being the 'Family matter', it will be solved within the family.

It may be worth mentioning that after the Lok Sabha polls, the RSS leaders had met J P Nadda at his residence and the latter also travelled to Palakkad to attend the annual review meeting of the RSS with its 36 frontal organisations. No official statement was issued from Kerala on the issue then. But Sunil Ambekar, who is also the official spokesman of the RSS, commented on the issue for the first time after almost five months.

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Fly on the Wall

Why has Gadkari started talking!

Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari is known for speaking his mind frank and candid. In the past ten years in the government as a Cabinet Minister in the Modi government, he had created a lot of uneasiness and there was a time when misunderstanding reached  a plateau. There was even a talk that he may be even part of the government. A lot of water had flown down the Ganges since then and Gadkari stopped talking at public forums and even privately. But lately, he has started talking and putting forth his views though within the parameters. A couple of weeks ago, he wrote a letter to the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman seeking to lift the 18% GST levied on insurance policies. When controversy refused to die down, Gadkari explained he had only forwarded a memorandum submitted to him by a delegation from his Nagpur constituency. The end result was that Nirmala Sithraman set up a GoM to look into the entire gamut of GST levied on health and life insurance policies.

But this was only the beginning. Later, he made a public disclosure that he was offered the PM's post by a senior leader of the Opposition if he was interested. Eyebrows were raised by many in the BJP but Gadkari stood his ground. Recently, Gadkari fired another salvo at a public function saying “If we want our nation to become 'Vishwaguru' (educator of the world), we should take the path of social harmony." He made another remark: The real test of democracy is whether the person at the helm of affairs is able to tolerate the strongest opinion against him and introspect.” His worry was that the country “is facing a problem not about differences of opinion, but the lack of it.” The last word on what's cooking behind the curtain is yet to be seen.

The mystery behind delayed sanction

The Union Home ministry had been holding back sanction to prosecute Lalu Prasad Yadav and virtually his entire family barring elder son Tej Pratap in the Land for Job scam. Though a chargesheet had been filed in January 2024, the supplementary chargesheet had been held back. The story goes that the delay was part of a political deal that the RJD will never tie-up with Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (U) during the Assembly polls due in late next year. But Lalu committed the cardinal mistake and started attacking PM Modi personally and Tejshawi Yadav went to meet Nitish Kumar at his residence. Though it was an official meeting between the two leaders, insiders say that BJP leadership was uneasy. Nitish Kumar has lately been flexing his muscles sensing that the BJP is dependent on him not only in Bihar but Delhi as well. The CBI was quietly waiting for the sanction of the Home ministry and one fine morning the sanction came. It is said that Tejashwi Yadav was not much inclined to open the pipeline. But Lalu tutored him that living in fear is worse than death. The Job for Land is a cast iron case and the Special judge is in a mood to finish the trial before Bihar Assembly polls. The case linked to Group-D railway appointments in exchange for land when Lalu Prasad Yadav was Railway Minister between 2004-2009.

No Takers of Smriti Irani in Delhi?

The BJP leadership is desperately searching for a new 'local leader' who can bring the party to power in the National Capital. Though the BJP has been winning Lok Sabha polls in 1998-1999 under late Atal Behari Vajpayee and decisively for three consecutive terms under PM Modi. But when it comes to the Delhi Assembly, the drought has been humiliating. The BJP failed to win Delhi even once since 1998 though it made several experiments during the past 26 years. If Sheila Dikshit ruled for 15 years, the AAP has been in power since 2013. The BJP leadership is burning midnight oil to formulate a strategy to win Delhi Assembly polls due in February 2025. One of the names that made headlines recently was that of former Union Minister Smriti Irani. It now transpires that the local unit of the BJP is not comfortable with her due to her flaring up tendencies etc. It goes without saying that she has all the ingredients to lead the Delhi unit. But Bansuri Swaraj, a first time Lok Sabha MP and daughter of late Sushma Swaraj is a hot favourite. She has shown qualities in public discourse and impressed all. The ball is the court of party high command.

A new “AAP” experiment in Bihar

Come October 2 and a new political outfit -Jan Suraaj party- is set to be born. Poll consultant-turned-politician, Prashant Kishor, will showcase his political vision of giving an ideal governance and development model. He had already created waves by declaring that he will throw out Nitish Kumar's liquor ban law which is anti-poor. Kishor had successfully sold various models in many states while formulating winning strategies for different political parties. He thinks that Bihar needs a fresh air as people are fed up with Lalu, Nitish and other parties. No one is sure whom Kidhor will hit in the Assembly polls. He had been making some noise about the necessity to rise above caste and creed. But he has now succumbed to these very things like distributing tickets proportionate to the population of different castes and rotating the command of the party among various castes. Will he succeed like Arvind Kejriwal's AAP is the issue?

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Kejriwal's House riddle,

New CM Atishi May not live in 'Sheel Mahal', Official meetings may be held

Arvind Kejriwal who quit as Delhi Chief Minister in a surprise move, is all set to dump the controversial “Sheesh Mahal” bungalow. If reports are to be believed, even Delhi's new Chief Minister Atishi Singh may not immediately move to the official CM's 6 Flagstaff Road bungalow residence, Civil Lines. Currently, she is officially living at Mathura Road official residence allotted to her as a minister in the Delhi government. But for all practical purposes, Manish Sisodia's family is living there and Atishi Singh frequently visits the Mathura Road residence. But now that she has become the Chief Minister, this arrangement may be difficult to continue. Secondly, Atishi being only a stop gap Chief Minister until the new Assembly is elected in February 2025, she may prefer to stay put where she is currently residing.

As per convention, a chief minister should move out of the CM’s official residence within two-three weeks of his/her resignation being accepted. No government bungalow had been allotted for former Chief Ministers of Delhi like Sheila Dixit, Madanlal Khurana, Sushma Swaraj and Sahib Singh Verma. But they all had their own houses. In the case of Kejriwal, he claimed that he doesn't own any house in Delhi. Therefore, he is on the look out for a rented accommodation as a “commoner”. Even last time, when Kejriwal resigned from the CM's post, he went to stay at his private flat at Kaushambi in Ghaziabad. However, there are reports that he might have sold this flat a few years ago.

Hence, Arvind Kejriwal needs to find a new house for himself. It is learnt that Kjriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal is busy house hunting.

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Fly on the wall

Why Gadkari Most popular among Mps

Irrespective of speculations triggered by Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari disclosing that a leading Opposition leader had contacted him to be their Prime Ministerial choice, he is extremely popular among MPs of all hues. His ministerial chamber in the new Parliament House building is the most-crowded place. Why ? Because his chamber is like an open house and any MP can just walk in. Most Cabinet ministers have been allotted rooms in the new building while MoS are given in the old building. But Gadkari's room has been the center of attention. He is always smiling and tries his best to help whosoever comes his way. The MPs of various parties go to him for laying roads in their constituencies and if possible get the same included in the list of national highways. Gadkari's only request to these MPs is that their state governments must acquire land for laying roads at a faster pace.

He told them that it is now a policy that unless the land is acquired, the Centre won't block its funds for years together. Gadkari pointed out that as many as 697 ongoing National Highway projects started since 1st April 2014, have spilled beyond their original completion schedule. This has also resulted in heavy financial burden on projects costing various agencies including contracts to the tune of over Rs 2 lakh crores cumulatively. It may also be noted that Gadkari's warm ties with UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had already  garnered a lot of attention within the BJP although this meeting was to review national highway projects in UP.

Modi lowered Guards for bureaucrats

PM Modi's first message to the bureaucrats when he held a marathon meeting with secretaries after being elected third time in a row was that they should refrain from flooding the PMO with everything. The secretaries should take care of issues at their own level. It is a different matter that no secretary will take such a chance and often call the PMO whether the file be sent or not. Since Modi realized immediately after being elected as PM that he will be running a coalition government and partners may not like to seek approval for everything from the PMO. After the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, bureaucrats are also in a more comfortable space. Officers disclosed that their colleagues do not hesitate to criticize the government or poke fun at it, especially in their various WhatsApp groups.

Another feature being noted is that many BJP leaders have also started expressing their views publicly including seniors. The change is surprising and the kind of rebellion that is seen in Haryana and other states had never been seen before. The BJP leaders in states are not listening to the high command and some of the ministers are giving vent to their feelings including Rao Inderjit Singh, MoS (Independent charge).

The importance of being Arun Goel

The rehabilitation of Arun Goel, a retired 1985-batch of IAS officer of Punjab cadre and former Election Commissioner who had abruptly resigned from his post before the 2024 general elections, has raised eyebrows. Goel has now been appointed as India’s ambassador to Croatia. It was rather surprising because had Arun Goel continued in his position in the EC, he would become the CEC in February 2025 after Rajiv Kumar's retirement until December 2027. But Goel resigned on March 10, 2024 and his resignation came just a month before the start of the first phase of voting for the 2024 Parliamentary elections on April 19.

Goel assumed charge as the EC on November 18, 2022. Incidentally, he had taken voluntary retirement as secretary of Heavy industries in the Union Government and was appointed as EC just a day after he took VRS. Goel was cooling his heels for the past six months at home after quitting as EC on March 10, 2024. But became the first political appointee abroad. Though Croatia is not critical to India's foreign policy, Goel's posting in Zagreb is important as it is located at the center of a sensitive region. Now it is clear that Arun Goel had resigned at the behest of someone assuring that he will be rehabilitated elsewhere. Goel impressed Modi when he showcased by conceptualising ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, a flagship campaign to celebrate 75 years of Independence. Goel is a “nice, soft-spoken and polite” officer who does not let anyone gauge what he's thinking, traits which are a must for a good diplomat.

Atishi no Dummy or Dumb

Atishi Marlena Singh, selected to succeed Arvind Kejriwal as Chief Minister of Delhi is no dummy or a dumb. No doubt, Manish Sisodia would have donned the mantle had he not been in jail in the Liquor-gate. Aitishi is the most trusted person not only close to Arvind Kejriwal but also to his wife Sunita as well. It can be judged from the fact that she was handling 14 portfolios and batted on the front-foot when colleagues were in jail. Interestingly, she became the Minister only in March last year when Sisodia and Satyendra Jain were sent to jail.

She is former Stephenian, a Rhodes Scholar and studied at University of Oxford, London and has a background in education, policy, and governance. She worked with several NGOs in Madhya Pradesh before joining AAP and was a key member of the Manifesto Drafting Committee of the party for the 2013 Assembly election which was a game-changer. Therefore,she is neither a “dummy and nor dumb.”

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

BJP to celebrate PM Modi's 74th  birthday as “Sewa Pakhwada”

fortnight long campaign will begin on Sept. 17 to Oct. 2

The BJP leadership has decided to celebrate “Sewa Pakhwara” (fortnight-long Service of the people) beginning September 17 as a mark of respect to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday. The party is contemplating to organize blood donation camps across the country in all districts in coordination with various social organizations; blood banks, Indian red cross society and state health departments.

The fortnight social service fortnight will culminate on October 2 as a mark of respect on Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay's Jayanti and Gandhi Jayanti. The nationwide Swacchta Abhiyan (cleanliness campaign) will also be conducted in schools and hospital premises from September 18 to September 24. Painting of schools can be done or donation drives could be arranged.

A felicitation program for Paris Paralympics- 2024 will be organized at state headquarters and sports persons have to be invited for the program. The Divyangs sports persons will be provided with Assisting equipment. Free health camps for elderly women will also be conducted on September 23. It is the day of launch of Ayushman Bharat Yojana. MPs, MLAs, and legislative Council members will be asked to actively take part in it. A pictorial exhibition of the PM will be organized as well. The BJP also plans to hold seminars based on the Book "Power Within: The leadership & legacy of Narendra Modi" authored by R Balasubramaniam.

Plans are afoot to organize art, drawing, essay, rangoli, competitions based on Atmanirbhar Bharat, viksit bharat, vocal for local themes. On Sept 25, Deen Dayal Upadhyay's Jayanti, workers will enroll 100 members through door to door campaigns for booth-wise. On 2nd Oct - cleanliness drive around statues of Mahatma Gandhi, floral tributes to be paid and and buy one khadi product.

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Fly on the wall

How Amit Shah's Pep Talk did wonders 

It is unbelievable but true, say BJP insiders. An extremely upset Union Home Minister Amit Shah virtually summoned Union Food Processing Minister Chirag Paswan. Chirag, president of the Lok Janshakti Party (RV) along with his party Mps at his 6 Krishna Menon Marg residence. Apparently, Shah took the step in the wake of internal discussions in the core group. The BJP leadership was upset with Chirag over some of his public statements. Chirag Paswan publicly opposed the Waqf Bill and demanded the same be sent to the committee. He also sought rolling back of Lateral Entry route for recruitments in the government and threw his weight behind Caste Census. He supported a Bharat Bandh against the Supreme Court’s decision to allow sub-classification in reservation for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes – the only party in the ruling alliance to do so. As if this was not enough, he desired to contest the Jharkhand Assembly elections on its own if there was no consensus over seat sharing in the NDA.

The BJP leadership had already sent a message to Chirag Paswan when Amit Shah met his estranged uncle Pashupati Paras on August 26. The BJP had dumped Pashupati Paras in the Lok Sabha polls and decided to go with Chirag Paswan and he won five seats. On August 30, Chirag Paswan reached Amit Shah's residence along with his three other Lok Sabha Mps. The Mps sat outside while Chirag was called in. It was a different kind of experience for Chirag where he got a virtual dressing down. The sum and substance of pep talk was that he is free to quit the NDA but must remember that none of his Mps will go with him. What Chirag told the PTI later in an exclusive interview the same day was complete somersault. He went to the extent of saying that he was willing to contest the upcoming Bihar assembly polls as an NDA partner "if the BJP so desires."

Rahul's googly Stumped party men

It is a do or die battle for the Congress leadership in Haryana as they have been cooling their heels in the Opposition for the past ten years as BJP formed the government for two consecutive terms. The Congress leadership is upbeat this time and the BJP is facing huge anti-incumbency, virtual revolt and unable to even put its own house in order. When the issue of distribution of tickets came to the core committee, Rahul Gandhi indicated that a few seats out of 90 should be set aside for the AAP and the Samajwadi Party. Even senior leaders of the party were shocked as none of them had any pockets of influence. They said giving Kurukshetra Lok Sabha seat to the AAP in 2024 Lok Sabha polls did not yield any positive result and the BJP won. The Congress won five Lok Sabha seats rejuvenating the cadre and wanting to go for the kill in the Assembly polls.

But Rahul Gandhi had other plans. He said, “I am not the Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha. I am the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) and representing the entire Opposition including those in the INDIA Bloc or outside. We have to accommodate them if we want to defeat the BJP in the country.” Though the alliance with the AAP has not succeeded so far, the SP may still be in the fray with some understanding. But Rahul Gandhi certainly earned browny points with friendly parties and stumped his own party men.

Secret abode of Sheikh Hasina !

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced to fly out of her country last month amid massive protests and mounting deaths in the violence. She made an unscheduled landing in India for a short while along with her sister. But it has now turned out to be a long haul as her plans to stay in the United Kingdom have run into rough weather.

Now pressure is mounting from the new Bangladesh government to send her back to face criminal cases against her. India and Bangladesh have an extradition treaty. The new Prime Minister of Bangladesh has asked her to stop talking if she wants to live in peace.

The last time a troubled Hasina sought refuge in India was after the massacre of her family, including her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in 1975. Hasina took refuge in India along with her husband, children, and sister. They lived in Delhi's Pandara Road under an assumed identity for six years, from 1975 to 1981. But this time, she was holed up initially at the Ghaziabad's Hindon air base guest house. No one has a clue as of now where she is residing in Delhi. The little bird learns that she is not living in any government bungalow this time but in a private bungalow in the Lutyens' Delhi. Strict secrecy is maintained due to threat to her life under the changed circumstances.

RSS affiliates air grievances

Even as the RSS and BJP are sorting out their coordination issues, its many affiliates also flagged their grievances to BJP Chief J P Nadda who is Union Health Minister and Leader in Rajya Sabha. Nadda attended the three-day meet of the RSS at Palakkad in Kerala last month end. These affiliates met Nadda separately and complained that they are not given appointments in time by the ministries though things have improved lately. These affiliates work in various fields and need active support of the government to serve the people in far flung and remote areas too. It must be to the credit of Nadda that he listened to each one of them with patience and promised to revert back to them and solve their problems.

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Fly on the Wall

BJP trying hard to placate the RSS

It may sound strange but true. It has emerged that the BJP leadership is going out of the way to placate its mother organization, the RSS. Two recent decisions by the Modi government had not only surprised political observers but the RSS itself. In a suo-moto decision, the government allowed the government servants to join the world's largest social organization, the RSS. No doubt, the RSS had urged the government in 2015 to lift the ban imposed by the Congress regime almost 40 years ago. The RSS never reminded the government since 2015 though the two had been working together to strengthen each other. Another decision that came as a bolt from the blue was granting highest level security to RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat. The RSS Chief had not sought any upgrade in his security status. But it was on the basis of intelligence and security agencies recommendations that the Union Home Ministry upgraded the security cover to Z+ level equivalent to the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

However, the RSS is unwilling to relent on the question of appointing a new BJP Chief in place of J P Nadda. The RSS leadership has made it clear that the next BJP Chief should be the person suggested by it. The PM is free to run the affairs of the government and who should be inducted into the ministry is entirely his prerogative. But when it comes to the BJP, it should be allowed to have a person of its choice. It is largely because of lack of time and other reasons that consensus over the new BJP chief has not been reached. The decision has been pushed to early next year and the RSS is hopeful that the "family matter" will be resolved.

Not every IAS officer is lucky, “Ghar Wapasi” on hold

Dr Shah Faesal, an IAS officer of the 2010 batch of the J&K service was lucky that after quitting the IAS and once flirting with 'Politics of Change' was allowed to rejoin the service. This was a rare case as he returned to the government fold. Dr Shah took VRS and launched a political party and two years later he quit politics and got reinstated into the service. Eyebrows were raised but broadly people welcomed it.

Now another IAS officer is hoping to get the same treatment. A flamboyant and outspoken IAS officer Abhishek Singh, 2011 batch of the UP cadre, who took VRS and joined politics right ahead of the Lok Sabha polls 2024, is finding it difficult to return to service after his resignation is accepted. Abhishek Singh, a model and a film actor, has now applied to the Centre requesting his re-induction into service but the state government has recommended not to take him back. The final decision has to be taken by the central government. Sources said that due to the political activism of Abhishek Singh, even the Govt of India is not ready to consider his name. Singh had resigned from the job in October 2023. He had made huge efforts to secure a Lok Sabha ticket from Jaunpur from BJP, but his efforts failed to earn dividends. His support for caste census and reservation has made things even more difficult. His wife Durga Shakti Nagpal is currently the DM of Lakhimpur Kheri.

When a foe turns admirer !

It may sound strange but true. Ever since the Congress Party won 99 Lok Sabha seats in 2024 polls and Rahul Gandhi became the Leader of Opposition (LoP), world view has drastically changed about him. It clearly emerged that Rahul Gandhi is setting the agenda and the BJP has been forced to respond to many of the core issues raised by him including the Caste Census. But the shocker was  complete somersault by Smriti Irani who had been his bitter foe for decades. After defeating Rahul Gandhi in Amethi in 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Irani was on seventh Heaven. She called him names and poked fun. But after her humiliating defeat from Amethi by Rahul Gandhi's aide KishoriLal Sharma, she virtually vanished from the scene after vacating her ministerial bungalow.

Suddenly she appeared on the scene and praised Rahul Gandhi's new approach and said he shouldn’t be underestimated. In a podcast, she said that Rahul now represents a 'different kind of politics.' She, however, was quick to add that Rahul's change in strategy was politically driven, and may have risen from his failed attempts at engaging in “soft Hindutva.” The BJP leadership, however, is not amused as Irani is looking for a political role which has not fructified so far.

Another popular Haryanvi singer-composer Jai Bhagwan Mittal aka Rocky Mittal also had a change of heart. A bitter critic of Rahul Gandhi for many years tendered a public apology saying, “Maaf karna, Rahul mere bhai, I was a blind devotee of the BJP leadership, I stumbled. Please forgive me.” Mittal seems to have fallen out with the BJP.

What Next for Azad !

Ghulam Nabi Azad walked out of the Congress after being denied a Rajya Sabha seat, terminating his 45 years of association. He formed Democratic Progressive Azad Party to decimate the Congress in J&K with the BJP lending tacit support. But he failed to make any impact in the Lok Sabha polls and his party is in shambles now as all those who came along have deserted him. Azad himself withdrew from the Assembly polls and cooling his heels. Even the BJP is now supporting other smaller parties and reportedly opened a pipeline with the PDP by deputing Ram Madhav as Prabhari along with Union Minister G Kishen Reddy.

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

BJP may get Rajya Sabha Majority in 2026?

Will have to win all state polls between 2024-26 

Woo More Mps of smaller parties to quit & join NDA

The BJP-led NDA may have got a working majority in the Rajya Sabha. But it will still be a mirage for the BJP to get a majority of its own in the Upper House.

A detailed analysis showed that the BJP will take at least two more years i.e. 2026 to get a majority on its own. Currently, the BJP has 96 Mps in the House and its strength may go up by two seats after J&K polls as the state will elect 4 Rajya Sabha Mps. In order to enhance its numbers, the BJP will have to win all Assembly polls between 2024-26 including Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Bihar and Delhi.

The biennial polls for six seats will be held in Tamil Nadu in 2025. But the BJP will draw a blank.

The BJP number may go up by one seat after a bypoll is held in Andhra Pradesh where two Rajya Sabha Mps quit YSRCP. Currently, the Rajya Sabha has 237 out of 245 members, with four vacancies from J&K and four nominated members.

The Modi government may take a decision to nominate four Mps after the current round of Assembly polls. The BJP's number will go up further in 2026 when the biennial polls for 72 Rajya Sabha seats are held. The BJP and its allies are in power in the majority of states. But in order to get a majority with 122 seats on its own, the BJP will have to win all the state polls.

The BJP has been successful in making Mps of smaller and regional parties to quit and get re-elected on the BJP ticket in bypolls wherever NDA is in power.