The upcoming elections for 10 seats in the Rajya Sabha could be the next platform for political action, particularly in Bihar. Three Bihar RS members will have to resign as they have now been elected to the Lok Sabha.

The BJP will be able to send just one MP from the upcoming three vacancies from Bihar. The seats of Ram Vilas Paswan, Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Ram Kripal Yadav will be vacant, and if the Janata Dal (United) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal reach an understanding, the parties can send two of their representatives to the Upper House.

It is learnt that the RJD and JD(U) will take the two seats and there will be a contest for the third seat from the State. JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav may go to the Rajya Sabha, while the second seat will be Lalu Prasad’s choice.

Former Uttarakhand CM Bhagat Singh Koshyari will also have to resign. It will be a test for the fragile Congress-led Government in the hill State. Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat is already facing dissidence from a section of MLAs, and the BJP may use this opportunity to prove its strength in the State.

The seat of Tariq Anwar from Maharashtra will be also be vacant, as he got elected to the Lok Sabha from Bihar.

There is one vacancy each from Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. In Jharkhand, the BJP may make an effort to get one of its members elected. In June, elections to four vacancies from Karnataka will also come up, followed by 11 vacancies in UP in November.

The BJP’s effort to reach out to regional parties is, therefore, being interpreted as a move to ensure a majority in the Upper House.

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