NDA hunts majority as Opposition splinters

Sensing opportunity in Opposition rifts, the party intensifies efforts to secure Delimitation and One Nation One Election

In an attempt to revive the Delimitation Bill and introduce the One Nation One Election Bill in the Parliament with a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha at the earliest, the BJP-led NDA Government is preying on the rebellions within several Opposition parties, including Mamata Banerjee-led TMC, the DMK and the AAP, among others Sources in the Government said the process to acquire two-thirds or closer in Parliament has been intensified as it is determined to bring in One Nation, One Election Bill for holding simultaneous polls — Lok Sabha and Assembly — across the country. 

The Delimitation bill sought to increase Lok Sabha seats to a maximum of 850 from the current 543 to operationalise the women’s reservation law before the 2029 Lok Sabha polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. Seats were also to be increased in States and UT assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women. It was defeated by a margin of 54 votes during a special session of the Parliament called in April 2026.

During the April 2026 voting on the Delimitation Bill, 528 MPs were present, making the two-thirds majority mark 352. The Government secured 298 votes against 230 opposing the bill. In terms of numerical strength, the two-thirds majority mark in the 543-member Lok Sabha is 362. With JDU and TDP, the NDA has the support of 293. If 20 TMC MPs support the NDA-led Government the figure will come to 313. Further, if 22 DMK MPs too offer support the tally will increase to 335. Sources in the BJP said the Government is also eyeing the nine MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT); a split within their ranks could secure the support of six additional MPs, inching more closer to 341.

With the fractured TMC likely to come on board with NDA, the tally will cross the 300 mark. Sources said the Government is also taking advantage of fissures in the Congress-DMK and that talks are underway to secure conditional support from MK Stalin’s party, which has 22 Lok Sabha MPs. The DMK recently lost the Tamil Nadu polls, which it fought with its oldest ally, Congress. The latter joined hands with Vijay-led TVK post polls to the Government in the State last month.

The NDA is also nearing a two-thirds majority in the Rajya Sabha, and the June 18 biennial elections would further add to its tally, which is 150 plus currently. While seven of the 10 MPs of the AAP in Rajya Sabha have already joined the BJP, TMC has 13 MPs in Rajya Sabha and Sukhendu Sekhar Roy has already resigned, who is likely to make it in the upper house again, representing the BJP.

Further, if their leadership decides to extend conditional support to NDA at the Centre and in Parliament, then the eight DMK MPs in the Rajya Sabha could also extend their support. The threshold for a two-thirds majority in the Upper House is 164.