Rajya Sabha Elections: 26 Elected Unopposed But Bihar, Odisha, and Haryana Head for Fight

Twenty-six candidates from multiple political parties have been elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha across seven states, setting the stage for a closely watched contest in three others — Bihar, Odisha, and Haryana — where voting will determine the final outcome. Among the prominent leaders elected without opposition are veteran Sharad Pawar, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, senior advocate and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, former Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M. Thambidurai, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vinod Tawde, and Trinamool Congress leader Babul Supriyo.

While several seats were decided without contest, the election has turned competitive in Bihar, where the fifth seat is witnessing a direct battle between National Democratic Alliance candidate Upendra Kushwaha and Mahagathbandhan nominee A.D. Singh. The victories of Nitish Kumar and Ramnath Thakur from the Janata Dal (United), along with Bharatiya Janata Party leaders Nitin Nabin and Shivam Kumar, are widely considered assured based on current numbers in the State Assembly.

The opposition alliance led by Tejashwi Yadav is relying on the support of five legislators from the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, who have announced their backing for the Rashtriya Janata Dal candidate. Leaders confirmed the support during an Iftaar hosted by the party’s Bihar president Akhtarul Iman. With one Bahujan Samaj Party legislator also supporting the Grand Alliance, the opposition camp is attempting to reach the required numbers for victory in the closely contested seat.

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In Odisha, the political arithmetic suggests that the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Biju Janata Dal may each secure two seats, though the fourth seat remains uncertain. BJP state president Manmohan Samal, sitting Rajya Sabha member Sujit Kumar, and BJD leader Santrupt Mishra are likely to be elected unopposed. However, the final seat could trigger strategic voting, as the BJP, despite holding a comfortable majority in the 147-member assembly, would require additional support to push a third candidate across the victory line.

A similar contest is unfolding in Haryana, where the BJP holds 48 seats in the 90-member assembly and enjoys the backing of two legislators from the Indian National Lok Dal and three independents. This support base gives the ruling party enough numbers to ensure the election of its official nominee Sanjay Bhatia. Meanwhile, the Congress is expected to comfortably secure a seat for its candidate, Karamvir Boddh, based on its existing strength in the assembly.

The entry of independent candidate Satish Nandal, reportedly backed by the BJP, has complicated the political calculations in Haryana. Nandal would require nine votes to secure victory, which would likely depend on cross-voting from Congress members. In response, the Congress has moved 31 of its MLAs to Himachal Pradesh to prevent defections. With voting scheduled in Bihar, Odisha, and Haryana, political observers say the final outcome could deliver unexpected results in what has already become a closely watched round of Rajya Sabha elections.

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