New Delhi: The tussle for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections has begun within the Congress party, with several senior leaders and young faces hoping to file nominations. Elections for the 37 Rajya Sabha seats will be held on March 16. The last date for filing nominations is March 5.
According to party sources, the Congress, which has 27 members, can easily win five seats on its own, one each from Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, and Haryana, and two from Telangana, as it has the required number of MLAs there who will vote in the Rajya Sabha elections.
The Congress may also win a seat from Tamil Nadu, with the support of the state’s ruling party, the DMK. In Maharashtra, the opposition alliance, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising the Shiv Sena (UTT), the Congress, and the NCP (SP), may also win a Rajya Sabha seat.
The four Congress Rajya Sabha members whose terms expire in April include Abhishek Manu Singhvi, KTS Tulsi, Phulo Devi Netam, and Rajni Patil. Of these, Singhvi, a Supreme Court lawyer and member of the Congress Working Committee, is most likely to be reelected, as he represents the party on several important matters and is also a senior spokesperson.
Singhvi’s current term began on August 28, 2024, and ends on April 9, 2026. He was elected unopposed from Telangana following the resignation of K. Keshav Rao. Previously, the Congress had attempted to send Singhvi to the Upper House from Himachal Pradesh, but he lost the election due to cross-voting by some party MLAs.
Potential Names in Himachal
This is why Congress strategists are considering fielding a local candidate for the one seat available from Himachal Pradesh. Party sources said that former Union Minister Anand Sharma and former state unit president Pratibha Singh could be considered for the seat from the Congress-ruled hill state.
Congress strategists in Chhattisgarh face a difficult choice: whether to re-elect tribal leader Phulo Devi Netam or choose between former Chief Minister and OBC leader Bhupesh Baghel, state party president Deepal Baij, or former Deputy Chief Minister T.S. Singh Deo.
Several leaders are being considered for the one seat Congress may win from Haryana, including Congress General Secretary Jitendra Singh, media head Pawan Khera, social media head Supriya Shrinate, and senior leader Raj Babbar, considered close to Congress Legislature Party leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Khera and Shrinate regularly defend the party and attack the Modi government on various issues, while Singh is in charge of the Assam Congress.
Justice B. Sudarshan Reddy being considered
For the second seat in Telangana, Congress may field former Supreme Court judge Justice B. Sudarshan Reddy, who was the All India Alliance’s candidate in the 2025 Vice Presidential election but lost to C.P. Radhakrishnan.
Sources said that if this doesn’t work out, Justice Reddy could be sent to the Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu, and a minority community leader or senior leader Hanumantha Rao could be chosen from Telangana. There has also been some discussion about the possible candidacy of Congress (AICC) official Praveen Chakraborty, but the DMK may not support him because he has targeted the state government over alliance issues.
Congress Secretary in-charge for Telangana, Rohit Chaudhary, told ETV Bharat, “These are very important elections. Discussions are underway. The party’s top leadership will soon give final approval to the names.”
MVA meeting to be held in Maharashtra
In Maharashtra, there is speculation that senior NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar is keen to file his nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections, but the Congress wants to clarify whether he plans to merge his party with the NCP, which until recently was led by his rebel nephew and late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. The Shiv Sena (UBT) also wants to send its leader to the Upper House. Congress sources said that the MVA alliance will meet soon to finalize the name. If no consensus is reached on the candidate, Congress may field senior leader Rajni Patil again.
Congress Secretary in charge of Maharashtra, UB Venkatesh, told ETV Bharat, “There are claims from all sides. Discussions will take place within the MVA, and then our top leadership will take the final decision on this matter.”
