Nitish's exit veers BJP towards YSR Congress, support in RS hold key

HYDERABAD: The country's recent unexpected political changes seemingly made the BJP to veer towards the YSR Congress Party. As the Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) has exited the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the BJP will now have to rely more on "neautral" political dispensations like the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the YSRCP to ensure the passage of important bills in Rajya Sabha.

Though the BJP enjoys a majority in the Lower House of the Parliament, it in deed needs a support in the Upper House to have its way.

The NDA requires 119 members to achieve a majority in Rajya Sabha. The NDA currently has 114 Rajya Sabha members. The BJP has 91 members. Four AIADMK members are known to be supporting the BJP. Five JDU members quit, bringing the total down to 109. That means the NDA is 10 seats short of a majority.

Having to forego 10 seats appears to have provided a golden chance for the YSRCP to hold the key to the passage of important bills. The NDA/BJP will be needing the support of the Biju Janata Dal, which is in power in Odisha alongside the YSRCP.

The YSRCP has a strength of nine members in the Rajya Sabha. V Vijayasai Reddy, R Krishnaiah, S Niranjan Reddy, Beeda Mastan Rao, Alla Ayodhya Ramireddy, Mopidevi Venkataramana, Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose, Parimal Nathwani, Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy are in YSRCP. The future of significant bills is currently, without a doubt, lies in the hands of YSRCP members.

The YSRC has, however, been pally with the BJP ever since 2014. The camaraderie between the two parties would surely dent the newfound, or purported, bonhomie between the TDP and the BJP, for the latter needs the YSRCP more than the TDP.