Who Will Join the Upper House? Key Political Figures File Nominations for Rajya Sabha

In a significant political development, Bihar's chief minister Nitish Kumar and BJP president Nitin Nabin are set to enter the Rajya Sabha unopposed, alongside veteran politician Sharad Pawar. With 40 candidates filing nominations for 37 seats across 10 states, the political landscape is heating up. Key figures like Union ministers and prominent lawyers are also in the mix, indicating a shift in power dynamics. As the scrutiny of nominations approaches, the stage is set for potential contests in states like Bihar, Odisha, and Haryana. This article delves into the candidates, their political affiliations, and the implications for upcoming elections.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 5, 2026, 20:50 IST

Political Heavyweights Set to Enter Rajya Sabha

In New Delhi, Nitish Kumar, the longest-serving chief minister of Bihar, along with BJP president Nitin Nabin, are poised to secure their positions in the Rajya Sabha without opposition. Veteran politician Sharad Pawar, leader of the NCP-SP, will also make a return to the upper house after submitting his nomination papers on Thursday.

These leaders were part of a group of 40 candidates who filed their nominations on the final day for 37 available seats across 10 states, creating a competitive atmosphere for one seat each in Bihar, Odisha, and Haryana.

Maharashtra will see seven seats vacant, while Tamil Nadu has six, and both Bihar and West Bengal have five each. Other states with vacant seats include Odisha (four), Assam (three), and two each in Haryana, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh, along with one in Himachal Pradesh.

Nomination papers will be scrutinized on Friday, and candidates can withdraw their nominations until March 9. If necessary, voting will occur on March 16.

Assembly elections are anticipated in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Assam in April.

The BJP is expected to bolster its representation in the Upper House, aiming to secure the highest number of seats following this election cycle.

Other notable figures returning to the Upper House include Union ministers Ram Nath Thakur and Ramdas Athawale, former Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai from the DMK, and prominent lawyer Abhishek Singhvi from the Congress.

Kumar and Nabin submitted their nominations in Patna, accompanied by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while Pawar's nomination was filed in Mumbai by his daughter, Supriya Sule.

Kumar's decision to participate in the Rajya Sabha elections signals a shift towards forming a new government, with the BJP appearing ready to establish its 'own chief minister' in Bihar, a key Hindi heartland state.

In Bihar, a competitive race is expected for one seat, as sitting RJD MP Amarendra Dhari Singh, a businessman-turned-politician, has been renominated and filed his papers alongside Tejashwi Yadav.

The RJD, holding 25 MLAs along with 10 from the Mahagathbandhan, including Congress and Left parties, aims to compensate for a six-vote deficit with support from AIMIM and BSP.

RLM president Upendra Kushwaha, seeking a second consecutive term, and BJP state general secretary Shivesh Kumar, a former MLA aiming for his first term in Parliament, also submitted their nominations.

In Odisha, a contest for one seat is anticipated, with candidates from the ruling BJP, including state unit president Manmohan Samal and sitting Rajya Sabha MP Sujeet Kumar, as well as opposition BJD's Santrupt Misra and renowned urologist Dr. Datteswar Hota, all filing their nominations. Dilip Ray also filed as an independent with BJP support, raising the possibility of cross-voting.

Haryana is expected to see a competitive race for one seat, with the Congress needing only 31 first preference votes to secure a win, despite having 37 MLAs.

Satish Nandal, who previously contested the 2019 assembly elections as a BJP candidate, has entered the race as an Independent, joining BJP's Sanjay Bhatia and Congress's Karamvir Singh Boudh.

In Maharashtra, six candidates from the ruling Mahayuti alliance, including Union minister Athawale and BJP leader Vinod Tawde, along with opposition nominee Sharad Pawar, are set to be elected unopposed after filing their nominations on the last day.

Pawar, aged 85, was unable to attend the Vidhan Bhawan due to health issues, leading his daughter Sule to file the papers on his behalf.

In addition to Athawale and Tawde, the BJP has nominated Ramrao Wadkute and Maya Ivnate, a former mayor of Nagpur with tribal roots.

The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has nominated party spokesperson Jyoti Waghmare amid speculation regarding former Lok Sabha member Rahul Shewale's nomination.

From the Nationalist Congress Party, former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar's son, Parth Pawar, has also filed his nomination.

In West Bengal, the ruling TMC and opposition BJP have filed nominations for five Rajya Sabha seats, setting the stage for a largely predictable election.

The TMC has submitted nominations for four candidates, including minister Babul Supriyo, former West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar, senior Supreme Court advocate Menaka Guruswamy, and actor Koel Mallick, while the BJP has fielded former state unit president Rahul Sinha as its sole contender.

With the TMC holding a significant majority in the 294-member assembly, the party is well-positioned to secure four of the five available seats.

In Assam, three candidates from the ruling NDA, including BJP's Jogen Mohan and Terash Gowala, along with UPPL's Pramod Boro, have filed their nominations and are likely to be elected unopposed.

In Telangana, Congress candidates Abhishek Singhvi and Vem Narender Reddy have submitted their nominations and are expected to be elected without opposition.

Singhvi has been renominated from Telangana after serving a term of one and a half years.

In Tamil Nadu, AIADMK's sitting MP M Thambidurai and PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss have filed their nomination papers for the biennial election.

The PMK (Anbumani faction), part of the AIADMK-led alliance, was allocated a seat by the AIADMK on March 4.

Ruling DMK candidates Tiruchi Siva and J Constantine Ravindran have also submitted their papers, along with Congress candidate M Christopher Tilak and DMDK treasurer L K Sudeesh.

DMK's allies, including Congress and DMDK, which recently joined the DMK alliance, have been allotted one seat each.

In Chhattisgarh, BJP's Laxmi Verma and Congress candidate Phulo Devi Netam have filed their nominations, both of whom are expected to be elected unopposed.

In Himachal Pradesh, the Congress has chosen an unexpected candidate for the lone Rajya Sabha seat, Anurag Sharma, president of the Kangra district Congress.

Despite hopes from former Union minister Anand Sharma, former state Congress president Pratibha Singh, and other party leaders for a nomination, the party high command denied them tickets.