Rajya Sabha Elections: 3 INDIA Bloc MLAs 'Missing' in Bihar Assembly as Voting Continues in Haryana, Odisha The biennial Rajya Sabha elections to fill 37 seats across 10 states are underway, with voting and counting scheduled for March 16, 2026. The term of 37 members elected from Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana will expire in April, creating vacancies for new candidates. Out of the 37 seats, 26 candidates have already secured victory unopposed, with the remaining 11 seats still contested. These include five from Bihar, four from Odisha, and two from Haryana. Among the unopposed candidates, the BJP secured seven seats, Congress five, the Trinamool Congress four, the DMK three, and Shiv Sena, RPI(A), NCP, NCP(SP), AIADMK, PMK, and UPPL one each. Notable winners include Sharad Pawar, Abhishek Singhvi, Tiruchi Siva, and Vinod Tawade. The remaining 11 contested seats will see voting proceed as the election process unfolds. In Odisha, voting for four Rajya Sabha seats is taking place amid allegations of cross-voting and political maneuvering. The opposition BJD and Congress accused the ruling BJP of engaging in “horse trading” during the polls. Health and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling and Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari cast their ballots early in the day, while Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik also voted at the Assembly premises. However, tensions arose when BJD MLA Souvic Biswal admitted to cross-voting, citing personal and familial reasons. He stated his vote was cast for an independent candidate, Dilip Ray, following his father’s expulsion from the BJD. Other incidents included claims by Odisha Congress chief Bhakta Charan Das that three MLAs defied the party whip, voting against the official stance.#odisha #bjp #bihar #rajya_sabha_elections #bipartite_congress
