Rajya Sabha polls: BJP announces nine candidates across six states; party chief Nitin Nabin to contest from Bihar
Times of India
by TOI NEWS DESKMarch 3, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
The BJP has announced nine candidates across six states for the upcoming Rajya Sabha biennial elections. Notably, Nitin Nabin, the party's national president, will contest from his native state of Bihar. This marks a significant move by the BJP to strengthen its presence in the Rajya Sabha. Along with Nabin, the party has also nominated former MLA Shivesh Kumar from Bihar. These candidates are part of the first list released by the BJP, which includes seven other candidates from five additional states.
The elections, scheduled for March 16, will fill 37 seats across ten states—Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana. The BJP's candidates from these states aim to secure key positions in the Upper House, which is crucial for shaping India's political landscape. In Assam, Terash Gowalla and Jogen Mohan will represent the party, while Laxmi Verma has been chosen from Chhattisgarh. Haryana's candidate is Sanjay Bhatia, Odisha's are Manmohan Samal and Sujeet Kumar, and West Bengal's representative is Rahul Sinha.
The BJP's strategic move to field prominent leaders like Nitin Nabin highlights its ambition to consolidate power in the Rajya Sabha. The election of these candidates could significantly influence policy-making and
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Originally published on Times of India on 3/3/2026