Karnataka Cong MP resigns from RS, likely to join BJP

In line with the recent trend of opposition MPs joining the ruling BJP, another Congress Rajya Sabha member, KC Ramamurthy from Karnataka, on Wednesday (October 16), resigned from the membership of the Upper House, ahead of walking into the saffron party.

According to sources, his resignation has been accepted by House Chairman M Venkaiah Nadu.

As the resignation comes in the backdrop of his meeting with Union home minister Amit Shah, a few days back, in all likelihood he would join the BJP.

It is to be noted that in the recent past, Bhubneshwar Kalita and Sanjay Singh, both from the Congress, had resigned from the Upper House.

Neeraj Shekhar, Surendra Singh Nagar and Sanjay Seth had recently quit the Samajwadi Party (SP) and given up their Rajya Sabha membership to join the BJP. Later, they were re-elected to the Upper House on BJP tickets, thereby boosting the strength of the ruling party in the Rajya Sabha where it lacks a majority.

In June this year, four Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Rajya Sabha MPs had joined the BJP.

BJP-led NDA is just 24 MPs short of the majority mark in the Rajya Sabha and are confident of getting the numbers by 2021-22. These numbers will help the Narendra Modi government get crucial legislation, barring the constitution amendment bills, passed without any opposition help.

In the 245-member Rajya Sabha, BJP is the largest party with 83 members and it’s allies — JDU(6), SAD (3), Shiv Sena (3), and RPI-A(1) — take the NDA tally to 96. AIADMK, with 13 members, usually back the ruling NDA.