Rajya Sabha Elections: Mallikarjun Kharge, Hardeep Singh Puri, Ranjan Gogoi To Retire Subsequent 12 months
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Rajya Sabha Elections: Elections to 75 of the 245 seats within the Higher Home are scheduled for April, June, and November subsequent yr
Presently, the NDA holds 129 seats within the Rajya Sabha, whereas the opposition tally stands at 78. (File)
A big reshuffle is on the playing cards for the Rajya Sabha in 2026, with a number of high-profile leaders set to finish their phrases.
Elections to 75 of the 245 seats within the Higher Home are scheduled for April, June, and November subsequent yr. Whereas 233 of those seats are crammed by means of elections by state legislatures, the remaining 12 are nominated by the President.
Distinguished amongst these retiring is Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, whose time period from Karnataka ends on June 25, 2026. He will likely be joined by former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, additionally from Karnataka.
From Uttar Pradesh, two key ministers within the Modi Cupboard—Hardeep Singh Puri and BL Verma—are set to retire on November 25, 2026, together with eight others from the state.
One other notable exit will likely be that of Ravneet Singh Bittu, the Congress defector who joined the BJP simply forward of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Regardless of dropping from Ludhiana, Bittu was inducted into the Union Cupboard and represents Rajasthan within the Rajya Sabha. His time period ends on June 21, 2026.
Additionally retiring on the identical day are Union Minister George Kurien, elected from Madhya Pradesh, and senior Congress chief Digvijaya Singh.
Maharashtra will see seven seats fall vacant in April 2026, with main leaders specifically Sharad Pawar (NCP-SP), Priyanka Chaturvedi (Shiv Sena UBT), and Union Minister Ramdas Athawale finishing their phrases.
Shibu Soren, a founding member of the JMM from Jharkhand, and Shaktisinh Gohil of Gujarat are additionally because of retire in June 2026.
From Andhra Pradesh, these retiring embody 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 chief Abhishek Manu Singhvi in April 2026.
In poll-bound Bihar, an essential set of retirements consists of Deputy Rajya Sabha Chairman Harivansh and RJD leaders AD Singh and Prem Chandra Gupta, together with former Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha.
West Bengal will see 5 members retire, together with Saket Gokhale, whereas six leaders from Tamil Nadu, together with former Deputy Lok Sabha Speaker Thambi Durai and Tiruchi Siva, are additionally scheduled to finish their phrases 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.
Different members retiring are from states within the North East like Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur and Mizoram. A single member – Naresh Bansal — is ready to retire from the hill state of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. In the meantime, Indu Bala Goswami, who’s presently the Rajya Sabha housing committee Chairman, additionally retires subsequent yr.
Presently, the NDA holds 129 seats within the Rajya Sabha, whereas the opposition tally stands at 78, making the upcoming elections essential for the stability of energy within the Higher Home.
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