BJP Announces Rajya Sabha Bypoll Candidates

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced nine candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-elections on September 3, aiming to secure a majority in the Upper House. Key nominees include Union Ministers Ravneet Singh Bittu from Rajasthan and George Kurian from Madhya Pradesh, along with other significant figures like Kiran Choudhary from Haryana and Manan Kumar Mishra from Bihar. The bypolls are crucial for the BJP to push the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) tally past the majority mark in Rajya Sabha, which has been challenging for over a decade. Currently, the NDA holds 105 seats, with an effective strength of 117, just six short of the majority mark of 123. The vacancies arose as several Rajya Sabha members were elected to the Lok Sabha during the 2024 general elections, including Union Ministers Piyush Goyal, Sarbananda Sonowal, and Jyotiraditya Scindia. The BJP's strategic nominations reflect its broader goal of consolidating power and easing the legislative process in the Upper House.