News Brief
BJP Names National President Nitin Nabin As Rajya Sabha Candidate From Bihar, Rewards Key Leaders Across States
Arun Dhital
Mar 03, 2026, 05:50 PM | Updated 05:50 PM IST
The BJP on Tuesday (3 March) announced its national president Nitin Nabin as the party's Rajya Sabha nominee from Bihar, a move that will require him to step down from the state assembly and relocate to New Delhi full-time.
Former Bihar MLA Shivesh Ram, a leader from the Ravidas community and son of former IAS officer and Vajpayee-era minister Munni Lal, has been picked as the party's second candidate from the state.
Five Upper House seats from Bihar go to polls on 16 March, with the NDA's BJP and JDU contesting two each.
Rashtriya Lok Morcha chief Upendra Kushwaha has staked claim to the fifth seat and is expected to receive NDA backing.
The Election Commission will hold biennial elections to 37 Rajya Sabha seats across 10 states on 16 March.
In Assam, the party has nominated Jogen Mohan and Terash Gowala, both sitting MLAs and close associates of Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
From West Bengal, another poll-bound state, former state BJP president Rahul Sinha has been given the nod. Despite contesting multiple assembly elections including in 2021, Sinha has not won a seat so far.
In Odisha, state BJP president Manmohan Samal and sitting Rajya Sabha member Sujeet Kumar have been named.
Samal, who steered the party's 2024 assembly victory but lost his own seat, was widely expected to be accommodated. Former Union Coal Minister Dilip Ray has announced an independent bid, and Samal indicated the party may back him.
From Haryana, former Lok Sabha MP Sanjay Bhatia, seen as close to Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, has been nominated.
In Chhattisgarh, state BJP vice-president Laxmi Verma has been rewarded with a ticket. Maharashtra's nominees are yet to be declared, with the last date for filing nominations being 5 March.
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