AAP strength in Rajya Sabha to increase by three-fold by July this year

Not just a government in Punjab, the spectacular victory has brought more power to AAP in Parliament, as it is all set to increase its strength in Rajya Sabha from the existing three to at least nine by July this year.

Five MPs will be retiring on April 9 while two will be retiring on July 4. Of these seven, the AAP can easily win six owing to its numerical superiority in the Punjab Assembly and may even bag the seventh one on second preference votes. All three existing AAP MPs in Rajya Sabha are from Delhi.

Read | With Punjab, AAP reaches an inflexion point

The five MPs retiring on April 9 are Pratap Singh Bajwa and Shamsher Singh Dullo (Congress), Naresh Gujral (Akali Dal), rebel Akali Dal MP Dhindsa and BJP’s Shwait Malik. Ambika Soni and Sardar Balwinder Singh bhunder (both Congress) will retire on July 4.

AAP has 92 MLAs, Congress 18, Akali Dal 3, BJP 2, BSP and independent one each. If Congress manages to get the support of a couple of non-AAP MLAs, it may manage to bag one of the five seats going to polls later this month.

This would take AAP strength in Rajya Sabha above parties like AIADMK, BSP, CPI(M), CPI, JD(U), NCP, RJD, TRS and YSR Congress.

For AAP, it will also have to prepare for a Lok Sabha by-election as Bhagwant Mann, its Chief Ministerial candidate, is a Lok Sabha MP. He will be resigning from the post of Lok Sabha MP soon.

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