Its strength is set to increase by 3 seats once the current round of Rajya Sabha polls for 27 seats are concluded on June 28.
The TVK's decision to offer the lone Rajya Sabha seat to the Congress came against the backdrop of key meetings between national party leaders, including former union finance minister P Chidambaram and Congress Tamil Nadu in-charge Girish Chodankar at the Secretariat.
The BJP has announced 11 candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls, notably omitting Union ministers Ravneet Singh Bittu and George Kurian, whose terms end soon. This decision, alongside other recent appointments, has fuelled speculation about an imminent Cabinet reshuffle. The list includes new faces and senior party leaders from various states.
The Congress party has announced its seven candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Pawan Khera, Meenakshi Natarajan, Praveen Chakravarty, Neeraj Dangi, Mansoor Ali Khan, and Pranav Jha, representing various states like Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, and Jharkhand. The elections are set for June 18.
The BJP's decision to nominate three former TMC MPs for Rajya Sabha bypolls immediately after their induction into the party signals a strategic shift towards consolidating its position in West Bengal politics through selective accommodation of opposition leaders and organisational expansion.
An RTI reply has revealed that over Rs 262 crore was spent on salaries, allowances, and facilities for Rajya Sabha MPs in the financial years 2024-25 and 2025-26. This includes more than Rs 151 crore specifically for allowances and travel, with a significant increase in expenditure from the first to the second year.
The TMC is facing a crisis following its defeat in the West Bengal assembly polls and a rebellion that has significantly weakened its organisational and legislative strength.
Trinamool Congress MP Sushmita Dev has resigned from the Rajya Sabha, becoming the second TMC MP to do so this week. Speculation suggests she may join the BJP, following a meeting with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, amidst a broader rebellion within the TMC after its recent electoral defeat.
A complaint was submitted by BJP candidate Mahesh Kewat, contesting the third Rajya Sabha seat, to the Returning Officer alleging that Natarajan deliberately hid information about a case filed against her in Telangana.
On Friday, April 10, Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan administered the oath to Nitish Kumar as Bihar's elected Rajya Sabha MP at Parliament House, New Delhi.
Harivansh has been re-elected as the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha unopposed, marking his third term in the position.
Seven Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MPs have officially merged with the BJP in the Rajya Sabha, reducing AAP's strength in the Upper House. The move increases the BJP's presence and has been criticised by AAP as unconstitutional.
The BJP has nominated Sanjay Bhatia, its former MP from Karnal, for the upcoming Rajya Sabha poll from Haryana. This decision comes as two Rajya Sabha seats in Haryana are set to fall vacant, prompting elections scheduled for March 16.
The Congress party is seeking one Rajya Sabha seat in Jharkhand from the JMM and plans to discuss the matter with Chief Minister Hemant Soren, according to AICC Jharkhand in-charge K Raju.
Two members of the Pawar family, Sharad Pawar and his grandnephew Parth, are contesting Rajya Sabha seats from Maharashtra, marking a potential first where both serve simultaneously in Parliament.
The Opposition had the numbers to win one Rajya Sabha seat from Bihar. As it turned out, four MLAs skipped the voting, helping the NDA to sweep the polls.
Will Nitish Kumar file his nomination for the Rajya Sabha on Thursday morning?
Rajya Sabha elections in Bihar, Odisha, and Haryana were marred by allegations of cross-voting and 'horse trading', leading to suspensions and warnings from the Congress party.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) faces a significant setback as several of its Rajya Sabha MPs, including key figures like Raghav Chadha and Sandeep Pathak, resign from the party, with some reportedly joining the BJP.
Siddaramaiah has resigned from his position as Chief Minister of Karnataka, following instructions from the Congress high command. D K Shivakumar is expected to succeed him. The decision follows internal discussions and political manoeuvring within the Congress party.
The Election Commission has announced the schedule for the Rajya Sabha elections 2024, setting the stage for polls to fill 37 seats across 10 states on March 16.
The TMC has written to the Election Commission alleging procedural irregularities in the scrutiny of nomination papers of BJP's Rajya Sabha candidate Rahul Sinha, claiming discrepancies in his election affidavit were overlooked.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has requested the Rajya Sabha secretariat to remove Raghav Chadha as the party's deputy leader in the House, proposing Punjab MP Ashok Mittal as his replacement, amidst Chadha's absence from key party events and prolonged silence on AAP matters.
C P Radhakrishnan formally assumed charge as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha after being sworn in as India's 15th Vice President at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
Former Indian football captain I.M. Vijayan has declined offers from multiple political parties to contest in the upcoming elections, but would consider a Rajya Sabha nomination.
Nitish Kumar's decision to contest the Rajya Sabha elections signals the end of his long-standing tenure as Bihar's Chief Minister, paving the way for a potential BJP leader to take the helm.
Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan rejected the opposition's motion to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing a lack of evidence of misbehaviour and the fact that some charges are under judicial review.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has announced its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, including Babul Supriyo, Rajeev Kumar, Menaka Guruswamy, and Koel Mallick.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Rajya Sabha to honour 59 retiring members, emphasising their contributions to national life and urging them to continue their service.
His term saw the lowest average of 57 hours.
The Rajya Sabha currently has 19 government Bills pending, with the oldest dating back to 1992. These bills cover a range of issues including population control, rent control, seed quality, migrant workers, and tribal autonomy.
Former foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, Kerala BJP leader C Sadanandan Master and Delhi-based historian Meenakshi Jain have been nominated to the Rajya Sabha.
The Indian Parliament is scheduled for a significant legislative day, with the Lok Sabha set to consider and pass the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026. Concurrently, the Rajya Sabha will introduce the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and pass the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, highlighting a busy agenda for both houses.
Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan, along with three other newly elected Rajya Sabha MPs from Tamil Nadu, took oath as members of the House.
Arora will have to resign from the Rajya Sabha if he wins the bypoll, the date for which is yet to be announced.
The Rajya Sabha was informed about the Ministry of Home Affairs' notification regarding the resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, with immediate effect.
The Congress party has issued a whip to its MPs in both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, mandating their presence from August 10-12 for discussions on "very important" issues. This directive comes amidst reports of potential debates on the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, and a Constitution Amendment Bill concerning delimitation, though the government's official business list did not explicitly mention these.
Actor Kamal Haasan launched Makkal Needhi Miam at a public meeting in Madurai in 2018.
One Rajya Sabha seat is a small price to pay for all the skills that Kamal Haasan brings to the table, points out Aditi Phadnis.
JD-U supremo Nitish Kumar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, a day after the BJP lost the Bankipur assembly by-election in Patna. The meeting, which included other JD-U leaders, occurred amidst recent political changes in Bihar, where Nitish Kumar had resigned as Chief Minister and a BJP leader took charge.
