Elections for 24 Rajya Sabha seats on June 18
What's the story
The Election Commission has announced the schedule for the elections to fill 24 Rajya Sabha seats across 10 states. Voting will be held on June 18, with results expected by 5:00pm on the same day. The states where elections will be held include Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan, among others.
Retirements
Retirements from Karnataka
Elections will be held in four seats each in Andhra, Gujarat, and Karnataka; three seats each in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan; two seats in Jharkhand; and one seat each in Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, and Mizoram. Among the retiring members are former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge from Karnataka. Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh and Union ministers Ravneet Singh Bittu (Rajasthan) and George Kurian (Madhya Pradesh) are also among those retiring.
Political landscape
Current composition of Rajya Sabha
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) currently holds 16 out of the 24 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has 12 members, while allies National People's Party (NPP), Janata Dal Secular (JDS), Mizo National Front (MNF) and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) have one seat each. The opposition INDIA bloc has five members, including four from Congress and one from Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).
Predictions
Predicted wins for NDA
The NDA is likely to retain its 16 seats, winning all four seats in Andhra Pradesh and two each in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. They are also expected to win one seat each from Karnataka, Manipur, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. The BJP is predicted to win all four seats in Gujarat as well.
Bypolls
Bypolls to be held on same day
On the same day as the Rajya Sabha elections, bypolls will also be held for two vacant seats in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. The seat in Maharashtra was vacated after Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar resigned on May 6. In Tamil Nadu, one seat was vacated when AIADMK rebel leader C Ve Shanmugam resigned on May 7 to retain his Mailam Assembly seat.