NEW DELHI: The final day for filing nominations for the biennial Rajya Sabha elections saw high political drama and a flurry of activity across multiple states on Thursday, March 5, 2026. From Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar filing his papers to a bitter contest shaping up in Maharashtra between the Mahayuti and MVA alliances, here are the top updates.
Top Developments
- Bihar CM Nitish Kumar filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha, ending his tenure as the longest-serving Chief Minister of the state and paving the way for a new BJP-led government.
- NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar filed his nomination in Mumbai, setting the stage for a high-stakes contest in Maharashtra where the ruling Mahayuti and opposition MVA are battling for seven seats.
- BJP national president Nitin Nabin filed his papers from Bihar, marking his first foray into Parliament.
- In Tamil Nadu, DMK leaders Tiruchi Siva and J. Constandine Ravindran, along with allies from Congress, DMDK, and opposition AIADMK and PMK, filed their nominations.
- In West Bengal, the TMC fielded a star-studded list including actor Koel Mallick, senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, and former DGP Rajeev Kumar, alongside former Union minister Babul Supriyo.
State-Wise Nomination Highlights
| State | Key Candidates/Updates |
|---|---|
| Bihar | Nitish Kumar (JD-U), Nitin Nabin (BJP President), Shivesh Kumar (BJP), Ram Nath Thakur (JD-U), Upendra Kushwaha (RLM) filed nominations. Amit Shah present. |
| Maharashtra | Sharad Pawar (NCP-SP) from MVA. From Mahayuti: Ramdas Athawale (Union Minister), Vinod Tawde (BJP), Parth Pawar (NCP) , Jyoti Waghmare (Shiv Sena). |
| Tamil Nadu | DMK: Tiruchi Siva, J. Constandine Ravindran; Congress: M. Christopher Tilak; DMDK: L.K. Sudhish; AIADMK: M. Thambi Durai; PMK: Anbumani Ramadoss. |
| West Bengal | TMC: Koel Mallick, Menaka Guruswamy, Rajeev Kumar, Babul Supriyo. |
| Haryana | BJP: Sanjay Bhatia; Congress: Karamvir Singh Boudh; Independent: Satish Nandal (could make contest interesting). |
| Telangana | Congress: Abhishek Singhvi, Vem Narender Reddy (expected to be elected unopposed). |
| Odisha | BJD: Santrupt Misra, Datteswar Hota (as “common candidate”). |
| Assam | NDA: Jogen Mohan (BJP), Terash Gowala (BJP), Pramod Boro (UPPL) – set to be elected uncontested. |
| Chhattisgarh | BJP: Laxmi Verma; Congress: Phulo Devi Netam. |
Major Political Reactions
- Tejashwi Yadav (RJD Leader of Opposition, Bihar): Alleged the “Maharashtra model” has been implemented in Bihar, claiming the BJP has “gobbled” its alliance partner and that Nitish Kumar has been “hijacked.” He predicted the next CM will be a BJP “rubber stamp.”
- Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena-UBT): Explained that the party could not field Priyanka Chaturvedi again due to a lack of numbers and the entry of a senior leader like Sharad Pawar into the fray.
- K.C. Tyagi (JD-U Leader): Stated that the BJP and JD(U) leaders will together decide the next Chief Minister of Bihar.
- Dipankar Bhattacharya (CPI(ML) Liberation): Called Nitish Kumar’s move to the Rajya Sabha an “outright betrayal” of the mandate given by the people of Bihar.
- Udit Raj (Congress): Expressed surprise and stated the move will result in the weakening of the JD(U).
What Happens Next?
The elections for the seats will be held on March 16, 2026. While many candidates are expected to sail through, contests in states like Haryana (with an Independent in the fray) and Maharashtra (with a high number of seats and rival alliances) will be keenly watched.
