Before Assembly Elections, Haryana And Maharashtra To Witness Tough Fight Over Vacant Rajya Sabha Seats; Here's Why

Elections are expected soon to fill 10 vacancies in Rajya Sabha as the incumbent MPs were elected to the Lok Sabha in the recently concluded General Elections.

These 10 seats are in seven states. While the results are almost known in Assam, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Tripura, a contest will be witnessed in Maharashtra and Haryana.

In Bihar, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav's daughter Misha Bharti and BJP's Vivek Thakur got elected to the Lok Sabha. Both parties are likely to retain their seats.

In Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Tripura, the BJP is likely to win the vacant seats, leading to a loss for Congress in Rajasthan after Congress general secretary K C Venugopal vacated the seat.

In Haryana, the seat was vacated by Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda after getting elected to Lok Sabha from Rohtak. Here, the BJP's current strength is 41 and Congress' is 29.

The 90-member House has a current strength of 87 as one of the Congress MLAs won the Lok Sabha, one Independent MLA passed away last month and another Independent MLA resigned to join the BJP but lost the Lok Sabha election.

Former BJP-ally Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) has 10 MLAs. Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP) have one MLA each and there are five Independents.

BJP has the support of 43 MLAs including 41 its own, Independent MLA Nayan Pal Rawat and an HLP MLA Gopal Kanda. Of the remaining four Independent MLAs, three have announced support to the Congress.

Independent MLA from Meham, Balraj Kundu and INLD’s Abhay Chautala are yet to reveal they are on which side. With uncertainty over the consolidation of all JJP MLAs for Congress, a contest will be witnessed.

Notably, in 2022, even when the Congress had required numbers, its then-nominee Ajay Maken could not win due to cross-voting. Hence, it seems unlikely for it to do so this time when numbers are not in its favour.

In Maharashtra, despite the ruling MahaYuti having numbers, the displeasure of BJP allies -- Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) -- over not getting Cabinet berths creates troubles.

Notably, both the states, Haryana and Maharashtra, where uncertainty looms over the Rajya Sabha seat, are also due for Assembly elections later this year.

In Maharashtra, the Rajya Sabha seats were vacated by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj descendant Udayanraje Bhonsle and Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on getting elected from Satara and North Mumbai respectively.