BJP Eyes Clean Sweep In Bengal Rajya Sabha Bypolls As TMC’s Post-Poll Collapse Deepens

Published 6 July 2026 · politics

BJP Eyes Clean Sweep In Bengal Rajya Sabha Bypolls As TMC’s Post-Poll Collapse Deepens Reported By, Last Updated: July 06, 2026, 14:17 IST The bypolls

BJP Eyes Clean Sweep In Bengal Rajya Sabha Bypolls As TMC’s Post-Poll Collapse Deepens Reported By, Last Updated: July 06, 2026, 14:17 IST The bypolls could further weaken the TMC’s parliamentary presence and push the NDA closer to the two-thirds mark in the Rajya Sabha. Rapid Read With the BJP-led alliance now enjoying a numerical edge in the West Bengal Assembly after the political upheaval, the three RS vacancies are expected to fall comfortably into the NDA's column. The Election Commission’s announcement of by-elections to three Rajya Sabha seats from West Bengal has set the stage for what could become another major political setback for the Trinamool Congress (TMC). With the party severely weakened after its defeat in the 2026 Assembly election and a wave of defections and resignations, the BJP is widely expected to sweep all three seats, further strengthening the NDA’s position in the Upper House and taking it one step closer to a two-thirds majority. The vacancies arose after the resignations of three TMC Rajya Sabha MPs during the unprecedented rebellion that engulfed the party following its Assembly election loss.

Sukhendu Sekhar Ray resigned from both the Rajya Sabha and the TMC before joining the BJP-led camp during the party split. Sushmita Dev quit the Rajya Sabha and the TMC, saying she did not want to remain “in two boats at the same time". She met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and is now aligned with the BJP-led political formation. Meanwhile, Prakash Chik Baraik became the third TMC MP to resign from the Upper House within a week, underscoring the scale of the party’s internal collapse. The Rajya Sabha bypolls come against the backdrop of an extraordinary political realignment in West Bengal. Following the Assembly election debacle, dozens of TMC MLAs revolted, while a majority of the party’s Lok Sabha MPs sought recognition as a separate group and declared support for the BJP-led NDA at the Centre. The latest to join the long list of prominent legislators is former Bengal Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya. With the BJP-led alliance now enjoying a numerical edge in the West Bengal Assembly after the political upheaval, the three Rajya Sabha vacancies are expected to fall comfortably into the NDA’s column.

If that happens, the NDA will move even closer to the two-thirds mark in the Rajya Sabha, significantly improving its ability to push key constitutional legislation through Parliament. The government is expected to use the Monsoon Session, from July 20 to August 13, to push several politically significant bills, including the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026; the Delimitation Bill, 2026; the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026; and the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, among others. The additional strength in the Upper House could come in handy for the Centre. The counting of votes for the Rajya Sabha bypolls will be held on July 24 at 5 pm. Meanwhile, for the TMC, these by-elections are likely to serve as another reminder of how quickly its parliamentary strength has eroded since losing power in Bengal. What was once the party’s strongest institutional bastion is now steadily slipping away, with resignations, defections and internal rebellion continuing to reshape the state’s political landscape.