BJP names Rajya Sabha candidates for five States; two Union Ministers left out

Key points

• The BJP on Thursday (June 4, 2026) announced its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls in five States, with two Union Ministers Ravneet Singh Bittu and George Kurian not figuring in the list.
• Both Ministers’ terms in the Upper House end on June 21. While Mr. Bittu represents Rajasthan in the Rajya Sabha, Mr. Kurian is currently a member from Madhya Pradesh.
• Kharge and Praveen Chakravarty among Congress Rajya Sabha nominees Bittu is likely to focus on Punjab which goes to polls early next year.
• The party accommodated Debashish Samantaray who recently joined the BJP after quitting his seat in the Rajya Sabha as a Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP.
• According to the list released by the party, Rajubhai Shukla, Mukeshbhai Rathwa, Mansingh Parmar, and Jitendra Meghjibhai Kanzariya have been fielded as candidates from Gujarat.