Will 2026 Rajya Sabha battle for 75 seats reshape India's politics?
From Bihar; newly appointed BJP working presiden Nitin Nabin is likely to be elected to Rajya.
But as there is no state-bar; Nabin may find berth from any other state too.
Between April and June, and again in November 2026, the Rajya Sabha will see seven seats from Maharashtra and five from Bihar fall vacant in April.
Vaccanies will also created in Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu.
This period marks a concentrated phase of transition in the Upper House, impacting multiple states simultaneously.
Seventy-five Rajya Sabha seats across several states, including key figures from both ruling and opposition parties, will fall vacant throughout 2026, setting the stage for significant changes in India's upper house of Parliament.
The upcoming elections will see vacancies in five Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar and ten from Uttar Pradesh. Additionally, seats will fall vacant in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and several northeastern states. This wide geographical spread highlights the national significance of the 2026 Rajya Sabha elections and their potential impact on the future legislative agenda.
As 2025 draws to a close and 2026 approaches, the year will not only see high-voltage Assembly elections in crucial states such as West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Assam, but also elections to as many as 75 Rajya Sabha seats.
These Upper House seats will fall vacant across April, June and November 2026, potentially reshaping the power balance between the NDA and the INDIA alliance.
Among the senior leaders whose terms will expire in 2026 are Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda,
Digvijaya Singh, Sharad Pawar, and Union ministers Hardeep Singh Puri,
B L Verma, Ravneet Singh Bittu, and George Kurian.
The political fate of these leaders remains uncertain, as it is yet to be seen whether they will return to Parliament or be replaced by new faces.
Ten seats from Uttar Pradesh are also set to be vacated by November.
The terms of members from Madhya Pradesh,
Assam, Arunachal Pradesh,
Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram,
Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh will also conclude within the same period, further contributing to the scale of change.
Currently, the NDA holds 129 seats in the Rajya Sabha, while the opposition controls 78.
The 2026 elections are therefore poised to be a critical contest that could shift the balance of power in the Upper House, influencing legislative outcomes and party strategies for sometime to come.
In Bihar, five Rajya Sabha seats will fall vacant on April 9, with elections expected by March.
Leaders whose terms are ending include RJD’s Prem Chand Gupta and Amarendra Dhari Singh, JD(U)’s Harivansh Narayan Singh and Union minister Ramnath Thakur, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha’s Upendra Kushwaha.
Following changes in the Bihar Assembly, the BJP and JD(U) are each capable of securing two seats, with one likely going to the opposition. The competition is intense, and the return of some leaders, such as Upendra Kushwaha, is uncertain.
In Maharashtra, seven Rajya Sabha seats will be contested in April 2026. Notable leaders including Sharad Pawar, Priyanka Chaturvedi, and Union minister Ramdas Athawale have their terms ending.
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