Rajya Sabha Elections 2026: Which parties stand to gain or lose? Check details here
Rajya Sabha Elections 2026: The BJP-led NDA is poised to strengthen its Rajya Sabha position in states like Maharashtra, Bihar, Haryana, Assam, and Chhattisgarh after big victories in the Assembly polls of these states over a period of time.
The biennial Rajya Sabha elections for 37 seats across 10 states - Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana - are scheduled for March 16 (Monday), with counting on the same day. These polls, triggered by terms expiring in April, offer the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) a chance to bolster its Upper House majority, currently over 130 seats (including nominated members), while the opposition INDIA bloc risks further erosion in key strongholds. Notifications began on February 26, nominations closed on March 5, and the entire process wraps by March 20.
BJP set to tighten grip in Maharashtra, Assam and Chhattisgarh
The BJP stands to consolidate power in states like Maharashtra, Haryana, Assam, and Chhattisgarh, where it holds legislative majorities, ensuring uncontested or easy wins for its nominees. In Maharashtra (7 seats), the BJP's alliances with the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) give it a firm grip; in Assam (3 seats) and Chhattisgarh (2), similar dominance prevails. The NDA is poised to win 6 seats in Maharashtra, leaving just one for the NCP-SP's Sharad Pawar. The BJP and its ally the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) will win all 3 seats, leaving nothing for the opposition, while Chhattisgarh will see a sharing of a seat each between the BJP and the Congress.
In West Bengal, the BJP will snatch the Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s (CPM) lone seat, while Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC) will win the remaining four seats. Overall, NDA could net 4-6 extra seats, pushing its tally over 135 and easing legislative passage for bills like farm reforms.
Rajya Sabha Polls: INDIA bloc set to lose seats as NDA eyes clean sweep in Bihar, gains elsewhere
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is poised to win two seats in Tamil Nadu, while alliance partners the Congress and the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) will win a seat each. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), both allies of the BJP, will also win a seat each.
In Odisha, the ruling BJP will win two seats easily, while the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is set to win one seat comfortably with its present strength in the Assembly. All eyes are on the fourth seat as the BJD and the Congress have decided to jointly support the candidature of Datteshwar Hota. On the other hand, the BJP is backing independent candidate Dilip Ray.
In Bihar (5 seats), the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is all set to lose seats as Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United (JDU), the BJP, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha's (RLM) Upendra Kushwaha can win all five seats, as they need a total of 205 votes and already have 202, so the NDA needs just three more votes to win all 5 seats.
Telangana (2 seats) and Himachal (1 seat) offer slim pickings amid Congress woes. With the BJP attracting crossovers, the INDIA bloc could lose 3-5 seats, which may push its tally below 75 and weaken its ability to stall key bills.
Likely results of Rajya Sabha election
- Maharashtra 7 (NDA: BJP 3, Shiv Sena 1, NCP 1, ROI-A 1 | INDIA: NCP-SP 1)
- Tamil Nadu 6 (INDIA: DMK 2, DMDK 1, Congress 1 | NDA: AIADMK 1, PMK 1)
- West Bengal 5 (INDIA: TMC 4 | NDA: BJP 1)
- Assam 3 (NDA: BJP 2, UPPL 1)
- Chhattisgarh 2 (BJP 1, Congress 1)
- Telangana 2 (Congress 2)
- Himachal Pradesh 1 (Congress 1)
Pending contests in Bihar, Odisha, and Haryana
- Bihar's fifth seat pits BJP against RJD (Four seats are already settled: JDU 2, BJP 1 and RLM 1).
- Odisha's fourth seat faces a close contest between the BJD-Congress joint candidate and the BJP-backed independent (Three seats are already settled: BJP 2 and BJD 1).
- Haryana's second seat to see a fight between a Congress candidate and a BJP-backed independent (The BJP is already poised to win a seat).
State-wise breakdown: Likely winners and losers at a glance
| State | Seats | Key political parties | Likely to gain | Likely to lose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maharashtra | 7 | BJP, NCP, Shiv Sena, Congress, Shiv Sena-UBT | BJP-led NDA (3) | INDIA (3) |
| Tamil Nadu | 6 | DMK, AIADMK | No major changes | No major changes |
| West Bengal | 5 | TMC (4), CPM (1) | BJP (1 CPM seat) | TMC to retain, CPM to lose one |
| Bihar | 5 | BJP, RJD, JDU | NDA (2) | INDIA (2) |
| Odisha | 4 | BJP, BJD | No major changes likely | None |
| Assam | 3 | BJP, Congress | BJP-led NDA (1) | Congress (1) |
| Others (Telangana 2, Haryana 2, Chhattisgarh 2 and Himachal 1) | 7 | BJP, Congress, BRS | BJP to lose one in HP, to gain one in Chhattisgarh | Congress to gain in Telangana and HP, BRS to lose two |
Upper house power shift
NDA's projected net gain of seats tips the Rajya Sabha balance decisively, enabling smoother passage of constitutional amendments and security-focused laws. Smaller parties like the BJD and the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP), who used to play kingmaker, will not be calling the shots now, as the BJP's momentum, from recent assembly poll victories and alliances, signals opposition disarray.