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BJP Picks Athawale, Tawde for Rajya Sabha; TMC Names Supriyo, Mallick

The BJP has announced four candidates from Maharashtra for the Rajya Sabha elections, including Union Minister Ramdas Athawale and party general secretary Vinod Tawde. The party also released a broader list of nine candidates across six other states, including Bihar and Assam. Simultaneously, the Trinamool Congress named four candidates, featuring former Union Minister Babul Supriyo and actress Koel Mallick. The Election Commission has scheduled polling for 37 vacant Rajya Sabha seats across 10 states for March 16, with the entire process concluding by March 20.

Key Points: BJP, TMC Candidates for 2026 Rajya Sabha Elections Announced

  • BJP announces 4 Maharashtra candidates
  • TMC fields 4 including ex-Union Minister
  • Elections for 37 Rajya Sabha seats
  • Polling scheduled for March 16
2 min read

Rajya Sabha Elections 2026: Ramdas Athawale, Vinod Tawde among BJP's four candidates from Maharashtra

BJP nominates Ramdas Athawale, Vinod Tawde from Maharashtra. TMC fields Babul Supriyo, Koel Mallick. Polling for 37 seats on March 16.

"The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday announced four candidates from Maharashtra for the upcoming biennial Rajya Sabha elections - Official Press Release"

Mumbai, March 4

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday announced four candidates from Maharashtra for the upcoming biennial Rajya Sabha elections, announcing the names of Union Minister Ramdas Athawale and BJP General Secretary Vinod Tawde among 2 others.

The Republican Party of India chief and Union Minister Ramdas Athawale is set for another term in the Upper House, whereas BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde is looking to enter the Rajya Sabha for the first time. Ramrao Wadkute and Maya Chitaman Ivnate are also selected as candidates.

The BJP had earlier released its first list of candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha biennial elections, clearing nine names across six states.

According to an official press release, the announcement was made by the party's Central Election Committee from its New Delhi headquarters.

From Bihar, the party has selected BJP National President Nitin Nabin and Shivesh Kumar. In Assam, the nominees are Terash Gowalla and Jogen Mohan, while in Chhattisgarh, Laxmi Verma will be contesting. Haryana's candidate is Sanjay Bhatia. Odisha will have Manmohan Samal and Sujeet Kumar representing the party, and from West Bengal, Rahul Sinha has been chosen.

Apart from BJP, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) announced four candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections: Babul Supriyo, Rajeev Kumar, Menaka Guruswamy, and Koel Mallick.

Babul Supriyo, a former Union Minister who later joined the Trinamool Congress, currently serves as Cabinet Minister of Information Technology and Electronics of the Government of West Bengal. Rajeev Kumar is a former Director General of Police of West Bengal. Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy is known for her legal work in constitutional matters, while Koel Mallick is a prominent figure in the Bengali film industry.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced that polling for the upcoming Rajya Sabha biennial elections will be held on March 16, with vote counting the same day at 5 pm and the process concluding by March 20.

The elections will fill 37 seats across 10 states - Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana - whose members' terms end in April 2026.

The notification was issued on February 26, commencing the election process, while the last date for nominations is March 5, scrutiny on March 6, and withdrawal by March 9.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Interesting to see the regional balance in the candidate list. The inclusion of Maya Chitaman Ivnate is a positive step for representation. The Rajya Sabha needs diverse voices to properly scrutinize legislation.
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Rohit P
While I support the party, I wish there was more transparency in the selection process. How are these candidates chosen? It often feels like a game of political equations rather than merit. Just my two paise.
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Priya S
The TMC list from Bengal is quite impressive too! Babul Supriyo switching sides and now getting a RS ticket shows how fluid politics can be. Menaka Guruswamy is a brilliant legal mind 👏
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Aman W
Rajya Sabha elections are always about political math. With 37 seats across 10 states, it will be interesting to see the final numbers. Hope the elected members rise above party politics for national interest.
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Nisha Z
As a Maharashtrian, I hope our representatives will prioritize issues like farmer distress, unemployment, and infrastructure projects for our state. The Rajya Sabha should be more than a retirement home for politicians.

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