Losses in states to prove a hurdle in BJP's quest for Rajya Sabha majority

The party, currently at 83 seats in the Upper House, can hope to reach the 100-seat mark by 2020. But it will still be short of the 123-seat majority mark on its own

The series of losses it has suffered in states in the last 12-months, including most recently in Maharashtra, has meant that numbers will continue to be a problem for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Rajya Sabha in 2020. It also means that the Narendra Modi government will have to rely not only on its allies, such as the AIADMK, but also on regional parties, like the Biju Janata Dal, to ensure the passage of key legislations.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is still short of the majority mark in the Rajya Sabha and is unlikely to cross this