Congress fields Meenakshi Natarajan for Rajya Sabha from MP:BJP nominates Tarun Chugh and Rajneesh Agrawal; voting on June 18

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has released its list of 11 candidates for the 2026 Rajya Sabha elections, while the Indian National Congress has also announced its nominees. In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP has fielded Tarun Chugh and Rajneesh Agrawal for the state’s two Rajya Sabha seats. The Congress, meanwhile, has nominated Meenakshi Natarajan as its candidate. Voting for 26 Rajya Sabha seats across 12 states is scheduled for June 18, and the results are expected to be declared the same day. Congress picks Meenakshi Natarajan The Congress has nominated former Mandsaur MP Meenakshi Natarajan for the Rajya Sabha seat from Madhya Pradesh. Natarajan is considered a close associate of Rahul Gandhi and has held several important organizational positions within the party. BJP’s candidates from Madhya Pradesh For the two Rajya Sabha seats from Madhya Pradesh, the BJP has placed its trust in: Tarun Chugh Rajneesh Agrawal BJP Announces Candidates from Other States Rajasthan The BJP has nominated: Gujarat The party has fielded four candidates: Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur Odisha by-election For the Rajya Sabha by-election in Odisha, the BJP has named Debashish Samantaray as its candidate. Candidates announced in Meghalaya and Mizoram In Meghalaya, the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance-II (MDA-II) has unanimously backed James PK Sangma as its Rajya Sabha candidate. In Mizoram, the ruling Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) has officially nominated party spokesperson K. Laltluangkima for the state’s lone Rajya Sabha seat. NDA expected to retain dominance Of the 26 Rajya Sabha seats going to polls, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) currently holds 18 seats across various states, while the Congress-led opposition alliance holds five seats. Three seats are currently with the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP). Political observers expect the NDA to secure around 17 seats, while Congress is projected to win five seats. Other regional parties, including the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), and Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), are also expected to secure representation. How Rajya Sabha elections work Rajya Sabha members are elected indirectly by Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs), rather than through a direct public vote. The Rajya Sabha is a permanent house, with one-third of its members retiring every two years. Of the House’s total strength of 245 members: 233 are elected indirectly by state legislatures. 12 are nominated by the President of India. The number of votes required to win a Rajya Sabha seat is determined through a quota system based on the number of MLAs in a state and the number of seats being contested. For example, in a state like Maharashtra, where seven Rajya Sabha seats are being filled and the Assembly has 288 MLAs, a candidate requires a predefined quota of votes calculated through the proportional representation formula to secure election to the Upper House.