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BJP Names 9 Candidates for Rajya Sabha. Nabin Confirm From Bihar

  • By Thetripurapost Desk, New Delhi
  • Mar 03, 2026
  • 12

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday released its first list of nine candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, setting the stage for a high-stakes contest across multiple states.

Party national president Nitin Naveen has been nominated from Bihar, while Shivesh Kumar also features in the list. The BJP has fielded Laxmi Verma from Chhattisgarh; Terash Gowala and Jogen Mohan from Assam; Sanjay Bhatia from Haryana; Manmohan Samal and Sujeet Kumar from Odisha; and Rahul Sinha from West Bengal.

37 Rajya Sabha Seats to Go to Polls

Elections for 37 Rajya Sabha seats across 10 states are scheduled for March 16, as announced by the Election Commission of India on February 18. Voting will take place between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., with counting set to begin at 5 p.m. the same day.

These seats are falling vacant upon the completion of the six-year terms of the incumbent members. The newly elected MPs will serve a full six-year term from the date of their swearing-in, extending until 2032.

Of the 37 seats going to polls, 12 are currently held by the NDA, while 25 are with opposition parties. The highest number of vacancies is in Maharashtra (seven seats), followed by Tamil Nadu (six), and five each in West Bengal and Bihar.

The terms of several prominent leaders are set to expire on April 2, including Sharad Pawar, Ramdas Athawale, Kanimozhi, Tiruchi Siva, and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh.

Poll Guidelines and Awareness Drive

The Election Commission has specified that only the standard violet-coloured sketch pen supplied by the Returning Officer may be used for voting. Ballots marked with any other pen will be deemed invalid.

Observers will be deployed to ensure the elections are conducted in a free, fair, and peaceful manner. In addition, the Commission has intensified voter awareness campaigns regarding EVMs and VVPAT systems in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal.

According to official data, over 1.20 lakh individuals have participated in demonstration camps across five states and one Union Territory, with more than 1.16 lakh mock votes cast. As of February 10, mobile demo vans have covered more than 29,000 polling station locations as part of the outreach initiative.

With nominations underway and political alignments taking shape, the March 16 Rajya Sabha elections are expected to carry significant implications for the balance of power in the Upper House.