BJP’s Rajya Sabha tally likely to go up by 3 with a no-challenge election

2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jul 6, 2026 01:14 PM IST

With the BJP winning the West Bengal Assembly elections earlier this year, these bypolls are set to increase the party’s numbers in the Rajya Sabha as well. (Source: File)

The Election Commission on Monday announced by-polls on July 24 to three West Bengal Rajya Sabha seats that were vacated upon the resignation of the former Trinamool Congress MPs last month.

The EC announced the bye-elections to the seats vacated by Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Chik Baraik, who were all elected to the Upper House on Trinamool Congress tickets. All three of the former MPs resigned from their membership and left the party in June, amid the larger tussle within the party. While Ray and Baraik’s terms were till August 8, 2029, Dev’s term would have been till April 2, 2030.

The EC announced the schedule for the by-polls, starting with the nominations from Tuesday till July 14, followed by scrutiny of nominations on July 15 and the last date of withdrawal of candidature on July 17. Polling would be held from 9am to 4pm in the West Bengal Assembly on July 24, after which counting of votes would start from 5pm that day.

With the BJP winning the West Bengal Assembly elections earlier this year, these bypolls are set to increase the party’s numbers in the Rajya Sabha as well.

Damini Nath is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. She covers the housing and urban affairs and Election Commission beats. She has 11 years of experience as a reporter and sub-editor. Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she was a reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau covering culture, social justice, housing and urban affairs and the Election Commission.

Expertise

Key Coverage Areas: Damini Nath currently specializes in reporting on two crucial beats:

Housing and Urban Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis and reporting on India's urban development, policy, and housing issues.

Election Commission (EC): Offering authoritative coverage of electoral processes, policies, and the functioning of India's constitutional body responsible for conducting elections.

Professional Background: Her extensive experience includes roles as a reporter and sub-editor, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the journalistic process from fieldwork to final production.

Previous Role: Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she served as a dedicated reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau, where her reporting portfolio included:

Culture

Social Justice

Housing and Urban Affairs

The Election Commission beat (a consistent area of focus).

Trustworthiness

Damini Nath's decade-plus career at two of India's most respected and authoritative news institutions, The Indian Express and The Hindu, underscores her commitment to factual, impartial, and high-quality reporting, establishing her as a trusted and credible source for news on urban governance and electoral matters. ... Read More

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Rajya Sabha

West Bengal