5 min readNew DelhiMar 4, 2026 07:03 AM IST
First published on: Mar 4, 2026 at 07:03 AM IST
From picking its national president Nitin Nabin to “rewarding” dedicated party veterans for their long-term loyalty, the BJP on Tuesday announced nine candidates across six states for the March 16 Rajya Sabha polls.
“Over the last several months, BJP national general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh has compiled and assessed a list of deserving members after receiving them from general secretaries (organisation) from each state unit,” a BJP leader said.
However, the party stopped shy of announcing its picks for Maharashtra, where the NDA looks set to win six of the seven seats that are set to fall vacant. The state, where the NDA is closely watching developments related to the seat being vacated by NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar, could throw up “interesting choices” from the NDA stable. With most Rajya Sabha picks out of the way, gubernatorial appointments, a Union Cabinet reshuffle, as well as an organisational revamp, are next, insiders said.
Bihar
There are five RS seats at stake in Bihar, with 41 the magic number. The JD(U) and the BJP are in a position to secure two seats each. For the fifth, the NDA has 38 votes and needs three more.
Nitin Nabin: The youngest BJP national president, he is a five-time MLA from Bihar’s Bankipur and a minister in the Nitish Kumar Cabinet. Insiders said Nabin’s entry to the Rajya Sabha would also enable him to get first-hand experience in parliamentary procedures, guaranteeing his availability for possible progression into the government.
Shivesh Ram: The son of former BJP MP from Sasaram Muni Lal Ram, 43-year-old Shivesh is a prominent Dalit face for the party in the state. He currently serves as a general secretary in the Bihar BJP and has previously served as the state unit’s vice-president.
Assam
With the Assembly polls round the corner, the BJP has picked two sitting MLAs from communities that are influential in Upper Assam to be elevated to the Rajya Sabha. There are three Rajya Sabha seats from Assam which will become vacant, and NDA-constituent UPPL, a regional party based in the state’s Bodo belt, has signalled that it is interested in contending for the third seat.
Jogen Mohan: A leader from the Tai Ahom community, he currently serves as a state minister and holds key portfolios of Hill Area Development, Cooperation, Public Works (Buildings and National Highways), and Indigenous and Tribal Faith & Culture. He currently represents the Mahmora seat in the Assembly.
Terash Gowalla: He is the MLA from Duliajan and belongs to the Adivasi tea tribe
West Bengal
Five seats are going to fall vacant. While the Trinamool Congress will win four, the BJP will bag one.
Rahul Sinha: An RSS pracharak-turned-politician from Bengal, Sinha is a former West Bengal BJP president. Hailing from a refugee family, he grew up in a refugee colony in Bijoygarh in south Kolkata. He has unsuccessfully contested several Assembly and Lok Sabha polls.
Odisha
Four Upper House seats will go to the polls. The BJP has enough MLAs to secure at least two seats, while the BJD has the numbers for one seat, with the fourth seat up for grabs.
Manmohan Samal: He currently serves as the president of the party’s state unit and his elevation is being seen as a “reward” for leading the party to its first win in the 2024 Assembly elections. A former Rajya Sabha MP and ex-minister, he stepped down in 2000 after being elected to the Assembly in 2004.
Sujeet Kumar: Renominated for a second term, he was first elected to the Upper House in 2020. He quit the BJP in 2024 only to be re-elected to the Rajya Sabha months later.
Kumar is a former BJD leader and is known for his election management strategies.
Haryana
Two seats are set to fall vacant in Haryana and the BJP has the numbers to win both.
Sanjay Bhatia: Seen as a close confidant of Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, he has previously served as the party’s state general secretary. The former Karnal MP also served as the chairman of the Haryana Khadi and Village Industries Board. He is credited with strengthening party operations and expanding the BJP’s footprint across the state. Bhatia has also been tasked with overseeing the party’s internal processes in Jammu and Kashmir.
Chhattisgarh
Lakshmi Verma: She is a member of the Chhattisgarh State Women’s Commission at present. Verma forayed into electoral politics in 1994 after being elected as a councillor in the Raipur Municipal Corporation. She has also previously served as the chairperson of the Raipur Zilla Panchayat. In 2021, she was appointed as the vice-president of the Chhattisgarh BJP and also serves as the national general secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Panchayat Parishad.
— With ENS Patna, Guwahati, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, and Raipur
