NEW DELHI — The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, officially announced its slate of candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for March 16. The nominations feature a mix of loyalists and regional stalwarts, with former Lok Sabha MP Sanjay Bhatia named from Haryana and Bihar BJP President Nitin Nabin nominated from Bihar.
Sanjay Bhatia’s nomination is seen as a significant win for former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, as Bhatia is considered one of his closest aides. His transition from the Lok Sabha to the Upper House underscores the continued political influence Khattar maintains within the state’s party unit. In Bihar, the party has rewarded Nitin Nabin following his elevation to the post of state BJP chief. Currently an MLA, Nabin will be making his debut in the Rajya Sabha. The BJP also named Shivesh Kumar as its second candidate from Bihar, solidifying its electoral strategy in the state.
The party expanded its nominations across several other states, fielding Lakshmi Verma from Chhattisgarh and Manmohan Samal from Odisha. Notably, in Odisha, former BJD leader Sujit Kumar has been nominated under the BJP banner, signaling shifting political alliances in the coastal state. From West Bengal, the party has fielded Rahul Sinha for the single seat available.
While the BJP has clarified its position in most states, the candidates for the seven vacant seats in Maharashtra are yet to be finalized. However, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is expected to secure six of these seats comfortably. In a notable move within the alliance, the NCP has named Parth Pawar, son of the late Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, as its candidate from its allocated quota. The Rajya Sabha elections are expected to further strengthen the NDA’s numerical standing in the Upper House as the government prepares for its upcoming legislative agenda.
