New Delhi: Voting will be held today for 11 Rajya Sabha seats across Bihar, Odisha and Haryana, while 26 candidates from seven states have already been elected unopposed in the biennial elections to the Upper House of Parliament.
The Election Commission of India had issued the notification last month for elections to 37 Rajya Sabha seats across 10 states. With 26 members already declared elected without contest, polling is required only for the remaining seats.
Bihar: Contest Intensifies for Fifth Seat
In Bihar, polling will take place for five Rajya Sabha seats, with six candidates in the fray. Based on the current numerical strength in the state assembly, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is expected to comfortably secure four seats.
However, the fifth seat has turned into a closely watched contest between the ruling alliance and the opposition.
The race became more competitive after the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), led by Asaduddin Owaisi, extended support to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate Amarendra Dhari Singh.
While the NDA appears certain of four seats, it will require cross-voting from at least three MLAs to capture the fifth seat. On the other hand, Singh is still short of six votes, though AIMIM’s backing has strengthened his prospects. Both sides are currently expressing confidence of victory.
Candidates who filed nominations in Bihar:
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Nitish Kumar — Janata Dal (United)
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Ram Nath Thakur — Janata Dal (United)
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Nitin Nabin — Bharatiya Janata Party
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Shivesh Kumar — Bharatiya Janata Party
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Upendra Kushwaha — Rashtriya Lok Morcha (NDA-backed)
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Amarendra Dhari Singh — Rashtriya Janata Dal
Odisha: Five Candidates for Four Seats
In Odisha, polling will be held for four Rajya Sabha seats, with five candidates contesting. Voting will take place in the state assembly where 147 MLAs are eligible to vote.
Political parties have conducted special training sessions for legislators to ensure proper voting and prevent invalid ballots. The election is being closely monitored amid speculation about possible abstentions or defiance of the party whip.
Haryana: Voting for Two Seats
In Haryana, polling will take place for two Rajya Sabha seats. The outcome is expected to reflect the current alignment of political forces in the state assembly.
26 Candidates Elected Unopposed
Before the polling day, 26 candidates from seven states were elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha.
Maharashtra (7)
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Sharad Pawar — Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction)
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Ramdas Athawale — Republican Party of India (Athawale) / NDA ally
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Vinod Tawde — Bharatiya Janata Party
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Ramrao Wadkute — Bharatiya Janata Party
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Maya Waghmare — Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction)
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Sanjay Upadhyay — Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction)
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Chhagan Bhujbal — Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction)
Tamil Nadu (6)
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Tiruchi Siva — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
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N. R. Elango — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
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M. Thambidurai — AIADMK
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Anbumani Ramadoss — Pattali Makkal Katchi
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K. Selvaraj — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
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M. Dhanapal — AIADMK
West Bengal (5)
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Samirul Islam — All India Trinamool Congress
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Sagarika Ghose — All India Trinamool Congress
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Mausam Noor — All India Trinamool Congress
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Mamata Bala Thakur — All India Trinamool Congress
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Ritabrata Banerjee — All India Trinamool Congress
Assam (3)
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Jogen Mohan — Bharatiya Janata Party
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Terash Gowalla — Bharatiya Janata Party
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Pramod Boro — United People’s Party Liberal
Chhattisgarh (2)
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Laxmi Verma — Bharatiya Janata Party
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Phulo Devi Netam — Bharatiya Janata Party
Telangana (2)
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Abhishek Manu Singhvi — Indian National Congress
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Vem Narender Reddy — Indian National Congress
Himachal Pradesh (1)
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Anurag Sharma — Bharatiya Janata Party
Results Expected Later Today
Counting of votes will take place soon after polling concludes, and results are expected later in the evening, which will determine the final composition of the Rajya Sabha from these states.
