BJP announces Rajya Sabha candidates from Bihar; Nitin Nabin, Shivesh Kumar Ram named.

Patna, March 3, 2026: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has released its list of candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, announcing two names from Bihar—Nitin Nabin and Shivesh Kumar Ram.

Nitin Nabin, who currently serves as an MLA from the Bankipur Assembly constituency in Patna district, was inducted as a minister when the NDA government was formed after the 2025 Bihar assembly elections. However, he later resigned from the ministerial post after being appointed the BJP’s national president.

Shivesh Kumar Ram had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Sasaram (reserved) constituency but lost to Congress candidate Manoj Kumar Ram by 19,157 votes.

BJP’s eyes on JD(U) list:

With the BJP announcing its nominees, attention has now shifted to its NDA ally, the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U), which is expected to field candidates for two seats under the alliance’s seat-sharing arrangement. Among the names being discussed are Union Minister Ram Nath Thakur and Nishant Kumar, son of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Speculation around Pawan Singh ends:

There had been speculation that the BJP might nominate Bhojpuri film actor Pawan Singh to the Rajya Sabha. However, his name did not figure in the list, putting an end to the rumours. Bhojpuri singer Gunjan Singh had recently claimed that Pawan Singh would be sent to the Upper House, but the prediction proved incorrect.

Political significance:

Elections are scheduled for five Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar. The ruling NDA is widely seen as being in a strong position to secure four of the five seats based on the current Assembly strength. However, the contest for the fifth seat could be competitive, as neither the NDA nor the opposition has sufficient numbers independently.

Victory on the fifth seat may hinge on support from five AIMIM MLAs and one Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA.

The BJP’s broader candidate list also includes nominations from other states such as Assam, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Odisha, and West Bengal, reflecting the party’s nationwide election strategy.

With nominations set to be filed by March 5, political activity in Bihar is expected to intensify further. The outcome of these Rajya Sabha elections could influence the political equations within the state, particularly amid speculation about possible organizational or government-level changes following Nitin Nabin’s nominations.

Also Read: Nitin Nabin, allotted a bungalow in Lutyens’ Delhi, becomes Rahul Gandhi’s neighbour.

EOM.