Yet another test for Oppn unity in tussle for RS post

All bets are off on who will become the Rajya Sabha deputy chairman in the election slated on Thursday.

Though the Opposition has greater strength in the House, the BJP leaders claim they could spring a surprise.

In a deft move, the BJP-led NDA floated the name of 62year old Harivansh of Janata Dal (U) and former Chief Editor of Ranchi's Hindi daily Prabhat Khabar.

Nominating him for the number two post in the Rajya Sabha that fell vacant after Congress leader from Kerala, P J Kurien, retired on July 1 could serve at least two purposes. First, a JD (U) candidate could be more acceptable to some of the big regional parties like the BJD and the AIADMK who are playing their cards close to their chest. Secondly, it would work as an adhesive for the BJP-JD (U) ties.

But the election could also be a shot in the arm for the Opposition, which will look to convert this election into a platform on which they could dissolve their differences and come together.

The Opposition leaders met in the evening, but they could not finalise a candidate, and they decided to meet again on Tuesday.

The Opposition consensus seems to be evolving around DMK's Tiruchi Siva (64); he is perceived to be more experienced since this is his third term in the Rajya Saabha, after one in the Lok Sabha.

He is also a bachelor of law unlike Harshvardhan who holds just a diploma in journalism.

However, a top Congress source said if it comes to a crunch and a consensus fails to evolve, it may field its own candidate.

Rajya Sabha is a 245-member house. One seat is vacant and the halfway mark is 122. NDA currently has 90 MPs in the Rajya Sabha, 32 short of the halfway mark - BJP (73), Bodoland People’s Front (1), JD (U) (6), Nominated (4), Naga People’s Front (1), Republican Party of India (A) (1), Shiromani Akali Dal (3) and Sikkim Democratic Front (1).

The joint opposition, on the other hand, has 112 MPs in the Rajya Sabha, 10 short of the halfway mark. Here is how the numbers stack up for them - Aam Aadmi Party (3), Trinamool Congress (13), Bahujan Samaj Party (4), Communist Party of India (2), Communist Party of India (M) (5), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (4), Congress (50), Indian Union Muslim League (1), JD(S) (1), Kerala Congress (M) (1), Nationalist Congress Party (4), Rashtriya Janata Dal (5), Samajwadi Party (13) and Telegu Desam Party (6).

There are at least 42 MPs who can tilt the balance. They are AIADMK (13), Biju Janata Dal (9), Telangana Rashtra Samithi (6), Shiv Sena (3), PDP (2), YSR Cong (2), INLD(1) and independents (6).

Nominations are to be filed latest by 12 noon on Wednesday.

So, it remains to be seen whether the election goes the symbolic trust vote way.