PNS
Ranchi
The Congress party has announced Pranav Jha as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections from Jharkhand. The announcement was made late Thursday night (June 4, 2026) by party General Secretary K.C. Venugopal after receiving approval from Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.
Pranav Jha, a political advisor to Kharge, has been actively involved in national-level party affairs and is considered close to the Congress high command in New Delhi. He also shares strong ties with Bokaro in Jharkhand. His candidature has been welcomed by party workers in the state.
The Congress has released a list of seven candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections, with Jha being the nominee from Jharkhand.
Mahagathbandhan Secures One Seat
Two Rajya Sabha seats from Jharkhand are set to fall vacant this time, including one due to the demise of veteran leader Shibu Soren, necessitating a by poll. With Jha’s nomination, the INDIA bloc (Mahagathbandhan) has effectively finalized its candidate for one of the seats.
The second seat is expected to go to the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), which is likely to announce its candidate soon, possibly by Friday.
Numbers Favor Ruling Alliance
The ruling alliance in Jharkhand holds a strong position in the 81-member Assembly:
- JMM: 34
- Congress: 16
- RJD: 4
- CPI(ML): 2
To secure both seats, the alliance will rely on full support from its legislators and allied parties.
The Rajya Sabha elections are scheduled for June 18, 2026, and the nomination process is already underway. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has not yet announced its candidate, though the NDA is expected to finalize its strategy soon.
