NEW DELHI: Political parties are turning their focus to the Rajya Sabha polls, with 22 MPs set to retire in June 2026.
Those completing their terms are Congress president and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge; senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh; JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda; and Union Minister George Kurian. Of the 22 seats falling vacant, the BJP currently holds 11, while the Congress has four.
The second round of Rajya Sabha elections gains significance following the five state Assembly polls, particularly in Karnataka. Four seats from the state, including those held by Kharge, Deve Gowda, and BJP MPs K. Narayan and Eranna Kadadi fall vacant. The Congress aims to secure three of the four seats, up from the single seat it currently holds.
Kharge is expected to be renominated. Discussions are underway over the remaining two seats.
The Congress is also expected to retain one seat each in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, though it may lose its lone Rajya Sabha seat in Gujarat. The party is also seeking a berth from Jharkhand through its alliance with the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).
In Rajasthan, leaders under consideration for renomination or candidature include former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, senior leader Bhanwar Jitendra Singh, and Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera. Sources said the party may also consider another term for sitting MP Neeraj Dangi.
In Madhya Pradesh, the names of former chief minister Kamal Nath, Meenakshi Natarajan, and state Congress chief Jitu Patwari are being discussed. As Digvijaya Singh is reportedly unwilling to seek a third term, the leadership may opt for a senior candidate to avoid cross-voting and retain the seat.
The Congress has only a slender surplus of six votes in the Assembly, making the contest delicate. Meanwhile, the retirement of Shaktisinh Gohil is likely to leave the Congress without representation in the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat, given the BJP’s majority in the state Assembly.
