With two Rajya Sabha seats from Jharkhand set to fall vacant in the coming months, signs of strain are emerging within the ruling INDIA bloc in the state.
The Congress has asserted its claim over at least one of the seats, while the leading alliance partner, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, is reportedly keen on contesting both positions in the Upper House.
Jharkhand is represented by six members in the Rajya Sabha, with biennial elections held for two seats. One seat is currently vacant following the demise of former Chief Minister Shibu Soren.
Additionally, the tenure of BJP MP Deepak Prakash is scheduled to end in June, paving the way for elections to two seats in 2026, with the process expected to commence soon. State Congress in-charge K. Raju has said discussions among INDIA bloc constituents in Jharkhand will take place after the conclusion of Assembly elections in five states.
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He added that the Congress leadership will also hold talks with Chief Minister Hemant Soren regarding seat-sharing arrangements for the Rajya Sabha polls.
Numerically, the INDIA bloc appears well-positioned in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly. The JMM holds 34 MLAs, Congress 16, Rashtriya Janata Dal 4, and Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation 2, taking the alliance tally to 56—comfortably enough to secure both seats.
A Rajya Sabha candidate typically requires 27 votes plus one additional vote to win on first preference, a number the alliance easily surpasses. However, the key question remains whether the JMM will agree to share one seat with Congress or opt to field its own candidates for both vacancies, given its stronger legislative presence.
At present, JMM’s Mahua Maji and Sarfaraz Ahmed represent the party in the Rajya Sabha, while the BJP is represented by Pradeep Verma, Deepak Prakash and Aditya Sahu.
JMM’s spokesperson Manoj Pandey has repeatedly indicated that the party prefers to contest both seats independently. However, the final call will be taken by party chief Hemant Soren, whose decision is expected to shape the alliance dynamics ahead of the elections.
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