BJP Set to Win All Three Rajya Sabha Seats in West Bengal By-Elections

With the Government apparently considering introduction of a fresh constitutional amendment Bill to advance women’s reservation along with the Delimitation Bill and also set the ball rolling for the ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bills during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament, starting July 20, the Election Commission on Monday announced bypolls to three Rajya Sabha seats from West Bengal which fell vacant after three TMC MPs resigned last month. With the former chief minister Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction reeling under rebellion with 60 of her 80 MLAs breaking away, the BJP is likely to win all three seats. Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Chik Baraik, who were all elected to the Rajya Sabha on TMC tickets, resigned from the House and exited the party in June, amid turmoil in the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool faction following the debacle in the Assembly elections. While Ray and Baraik’s terms were until August 8, 2029, Dev’s term was to end on April 2, 2030. Announcing the bypoll schedule, the EC said that nominations can be filed from Tuesday until July 14, followed by scrutiny of nominations on July 15 and the last date of withdrawal of candidature on July 17. Counting will be held on July 24 in the West Bengal Assembly. The BJP currently has 114 MPs in Rajya Sabha, and if the party pulls off wins in all three seats, the tally would climb to 117, consequently taking the NDA strength in the 245-member Upper House to 155, just nine short of the two-thirds mark of 164, if all members are present and voting — a requirement for the passage of a constitutional amendment Bill. In the Lok Sabha, however, the NDA is still 41 short of the two-thirds mark. Rajya Sabha members are elected by members of the Assembly through the system of proportional representation by a single, transferable vote. A formula is used to calculate the quota required for a candidate to win. In the 294-seat West Bengal Assembly, the quota for the state according to the formula will be 74. With the TMC splitting just after the Assembly elections, it is very likely that the BJP will win all three seats.