NEW DELHI, Mar 16: The latest round of Rajya Sabha elections has exposed visible cracks within the Opposition camp, with cross-voting, absenteeism and weak floor coordination helping the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance secure a significant advantage and further strengthen its position in the Upper House. Contests were held for 11 of the 37 vacancies, with polling confined to Bihar, Odisha and Haryana, while 26 candidates in other states had already been elected unopposed, largely settling the broader composition in advance.
The NDA emerged as the principal gainer in the contested round, winning eight of the 11 seats, including one secured by an Independent backed by the BJP. The outcome underlined the ruling alliance’s ability to keep its numbers intact and capitalize on divisions within rival camps at a time when every Upper House gain carries long-term political significance.
The sharpest setback for the Opposition came in Bihar, where the NDA swept all five seats. Those elected were Nitish Kumar, Nitin Nabin, Ram Nath Thakur, Shivesh Kumar and Upendra Kushwaha. Reports indicated that the opposition Mahagathbandhan suffered because four of its MLAs remained absent during voting, a gap that proved crucial in a tightly watched contest and helped the NDA convert its numerical advantage into a complete sweep.
The Bihar outcome has once again raised questions over coordination within the Opposition alliance, particularly between the RJD and Congress. The inability to ensure full attendance in such a high-stakes election reflected not merely a tactical slip but a deeper organizational weakness. In parliamentary contests decided by precise arithmetic, even limited absenteeism can become politically costly, and that is exactly what unfolded in Bihar. This assessment is based on reported absences and the resulting loss of a seat the Opposition hoped to retain.
In Odisha too, the results dealt a blow to the Opposition and highlighted the disruptive effect of cross-voting. BJP candidates Manmohan Samal and Sujeet Kumar were elected, along with BJD nominee Santrupt Misra, while BJP-backed Independent Dilip Ray defeated the joint BJD-Congress candidate Datteswar Hota. That result was widely seen as the most striking upset of the round, as cross-voting across party lines appeared to alter the expected outcome.
The Odisha verdict has triggered discomfort within the Opposition space because it suggested that declared political support did not fully translate into votes on the ground. Reports before and after polling pointed to serious concerns over internal discipline, and the victory of the BJP-backed Independent has given the ruling party in the state an additional political boost.
In Haryana, the picture was less dramatic in terms of final numbers, but the contest was still clouded by allegations of cross-voting and procedural violations linked to ballot secrecy. BJP candidate Sanjay Bhatia and Congress nominee Karamveer Singh Boudh were elected, while Independent Satish Nandal fell short. Even though the final result broadly reflected the Assembly’s existing arithmetic, the controversy once again kept the issue of Opposition cohesion under scrutiny.
Beyond these contested states, the broader Rajya Sabha cycle had already been shaped by unopposed victories in several states. Among those elected unopposed were prominent leaders such as Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Sharad Pawar and others, indicating that much of the Upper House reshuffle had been determined before voting day.
Taken together, the results send a clear political message. The NDA has shown discipline, cohesion and tactical sharpness, while the Opposition has appeared vulnerable to internal lapses at critical moments. The contests in Bihar, Odisha and Haryana were not just about filling Rajya Sabha seats. They served as a test of alliance management, legislative control and political reliability, and in that test, the Opposition’s weaknesses were laid bare while the NDA walked away stronger.