Kharge's Return, Question Mark On Kamal Nath: Big Names Heat Up Congress's Rajya Sabha Race

Key points

• Kharge's Return, Question Mark On Kamal Nath: Big Names Heat Up Congress's Rajya Sabha Race Published By, Last Updated: June 01, 2026, 16:03 IST Beyond its own leaders, the Congress is also negotiating with allies to secure representation in states where it lacks the numbers to independently elect candidates Rapid Read Mallikarjun Kharge (left) and Kamal Nath are the big names in th fray.
• As the June 18 Rajya Sabha elections approach, the Congress leadership is grappling with a high-stakes balancing act—accommodating senior leaders, managing state-level factional equations, and ensuring it does not lose seats because of adverse arithmetic or cross-voting.
• With terms of several prominent opposition leaders coming to an end, the upcoming elections are expected to trigger intense discussions within the party over who gets nominated to the Upper House and from where.
• Among the biggest names in the mix is Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, whose Rajya Sabha...