BJP number-crunchers work out RS arithmetic

“The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill, 2015 is expected to be brought up for discussion in the Rajya Sabha during this week in the ongoing Parliament session. Most probably, it shall be introduced any time between May 5 to 7,” said a highly placed source in the party. Out of the 244 MPs in Rajya Sabha, the BJP requires a minimum of 122 votes in its favour to get the Bill passed.

According to sources: “The BJP’s top brass, after detailed negotiations with various regional parties are expecting that they will be able to get support from many of them to help passage of the Bill.” Facing a numerical roadblock in the Upper House, the BJP is sticking to its plan to garner support from regional parties, leaving out the Congress and the Left. Millennium Post on April 25, had reported: “Except the Left and the Congress, managers in the government have been directed to approach and convince other members from regional parties in the Opposition.”

At the behest of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there senior ministers are are carrying ahead these negotiations. “As per Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s directive, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu is the one who is primarily in-charge for the talks with the regional parties. Also, responsible for carrying forward these negotiations are Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Road transport, Highways, and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari,” said a source.

“The talks with All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (AIADMK ), All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) have been favourable so far. 

Meanwhile, single member parties, who have representation in Rajya Sabha have also been positive,” added the source. “In Rajya Sabha as we do not have the numbers, the focus will be to gather support from all quarters. This Bill will definitely be passed in Rajya Sabha in a similar manner to the way the Mines Bill was passed in it,” added the source.

In the current 244 member Rajya Sabha, the Congress has 68 seats, followed by BJP, which has 47, the key parties the BJP is looking at for support are AIADMK with 11 seats, AITC ­­-12 seats, SP-15 seats and BSP -10 seats respectively. Other regional parties, which will play a key role in this situation will be the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) - seven seats, CPI and CPI(M) with one and nine seats respectively, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) with six seats, Shrimoni Akali Dal (SAD) with three seats, PDP with two seats, DMK with four seats, Janata Dal(United) and Janata Dal (Secular) with 12 and one seat respectively.