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Rajya Sabha Elections: Elections to 75 of the 245 seats in the Upper House are scheduled for April, June, and November next year
Currently, the NDA holds 129 seats in the Rajya Sabha, while the opposition tally stands at 78. (File)
A significant reshuffle is on the cards for the Rajya Sabha in 2026, with several high-profile leaders set to complete their terms.
Elections to 75 of the 245 seats in the Upper House are scheduled for April, June, and November next year. While 233 of these seats are filled through elections by state legislatures, the remaining 12 are nominated by the President.
Prominent among those retiring is Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, whose term from Karnataka ends on June 25, 2026. He will be joined by former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, also from Karnataka.
From Uttar Pradesh, two key ministers in the Modi Cabinet—Hardeep Singh Puri and BL Verma—are set to retire on November 25, 2026, along with eight others from the state.
Another notable exit will be that of Ravneet Singh Bittu, the Congress defector who joined the BJP just ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Despite losing from Ludhiana, Bittu was inducted into the Union Cabinet and represents Rajasthan in the Rajya Sabha. His term ends on June 21, 2026.
Also retiring on the same day are Union Minister George Kurien, elected from Madhya Pradesh, and senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh.
Maharashtra will see seven seats fall vacant in April 2026, with major leaders namely Sharad Pawar (NCP-SP), Priyanka Chaturvedi (Shiv Sena UBT), and Union Minister Ramdas Athawale completing their terms.
Shibu Soren, a founding member of the JMM from Jharkhand, and Shaktisinh Gohil of Gujarat are also due to retire in June 2026.
From Andhra Pradesh, those retiring include Sana Satish Babu (TDP), and YSRCP leaders Ayodhya Rami Reddy, Parimal Nathwani, and Pilli Subhash.
Telangana will see the exit of senior advocate and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi in April 2026.
In poll-bound Bihar, an important set of retirements includes Deputy Rajya Sabha Chairman Harivansh and RJD leaders AD Singh and Prem Chandra Gupta, along with former Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha.
West Bengal will see five members retire, including Saket Gokhale, while six leaders from Tamil Nadu, including former Deputy Lok Sabha Speaker Thambi Durai and Tiruchi Siva, are also scheduled to complete their terms in April 2026.
The lone retirement from the President-nominated quota is that of former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, whose tenure ends in March 2026.
Other members retiring are from states in the North East like Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur and Mizoram. A single member – Naresh Bansal — is set to retire from the hill state of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. Meanwhile, Indu Bala Goswami, who is currently the Rajya Sabha housing committee Chairman, also retires next year.
Currently, the NDA holds 129 seats in the Rajya Sabha, while the opposition tally stands at 78, making the upcoming elections crucial for the balance of power in the Upper House.
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