Numbers stack up favourably for NDA in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: A steady exodus of opposition MPs has made the numbers in Rajya Sabha more favourable than ever for the Modi government as the ruling NDA is now barely short of a majority and is comfortably placed with the support of friendly regional parties.

One more Congress MP quit his party on Wednesday and BJP sources said they expect more desertion from opposition ranks as political parties gear up for Parliament's Winter Session.

After a united opposition managed to thwart its legislative agenda in the House often during much of the first term, the ruling BJP negated the opposition's numerical superiority by wooing its members and coopting fence-sitters in Parliament's first session when it came back to power with a stronger mandate

With the Congress MP from Karnataka, K C Ramamurthy, quitting the party on Wednesday, its strength in Rajya Sabha has come down to 45 and the BJP, due to its bigger numbers in the state assembly, is likely to grab the seat when the bypoll is held there, taking its tally to 83 in the 245-member. Ramamurthy also tendered his resignation from the House and is likely to join the BJP.

The Upper House now has five vacancies and the combined strength of the ruling NDA is around 106.