It's advantage BJP in RS polls to 37 seats on Mar 16

Congress likely to win four seats

- OUR CORRESPONDENT

The BJP is poised to win at least half of the 37 Rajya Sabha seats going to biennial polls on March 16 and is likely to increase its strength in the Upper House, as it is in power or part of the ruling alliance in six of the 10 states where seats are falling vacant.

The seats will fall vacant on April 2 and 9 following the retirement of several members, including Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh (JDU), NCP-SP MP Sharad Pawar (NCP-SP), former Lok Sabha deputy Speaker M Thambidurai (AIADMK) and Union ministers Ram Nath Thakur (JDU) and Ramdas Athawale (RPI-A).

According to the Election Commission, the vacancies are spread across Maharashtra (7), Odisha (4), Tamil Nadu (6), West Bengal (5), Assam (3), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (2), Haryana (2), Himachal Pradesh (1) and Telangana (2). These seats will fall vacant in April 2026.