The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is seeking support from rebel lawmakers and regional parties to secure a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha [1].
This legislative push is critical because a two-thirds majority is required to pass constitutional amendment bills. The coalition, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena, intends to use this power to implement reforms, including women's reservation and an increase in the total size of the Lok Sabha [1, 2].
To reach the necessary threshold of 360 seats in the 540-member house [1], the NDA is currently courting rebel members of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), as well as the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and other smaller regional parties [1, 3].
The NDA currently holds 293 seats [1]. If the coalition successfully gains the support of 20 TMC rebels, its strength would rise to 313 seats [1]. Further gains from a potential split in the UBD could push that number to 319 seats [1].
Despite these maneuvers, the coalition remains short of the 360-seat requirement [4]. This deficit previously resulted in the failure of the women's quota bill, which did not reach the two-thirds majority needed for passage [5].
The effort to consolidate power comes ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament, scheduled for July and August 2024 [1, 3]. The strategy involves a combination of courting disillusioned members of opposition parties and attempting to fracture existing regional alliances to bridge the gap in the lower house.
“The NDA is aiming to secure a two‑thirds majority in the 540‑member Lok Sabha”
The NDA's attempt to reach 360 seats represents a strategic shift toward securing long-term structural changes to the Indian government. By targeting rebel MPs and regional splits, the coalition is attempting to bypass the traditional legislative deadlock that occurs when a government lacks a supermajority, potentially allowing for rapid constitutional shifts without broad cross-party consensus.
