Congress Finalises First List For Upper House Elections
The Congress has officially declared its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, placing several senior leaders and key organisational figures in the race for seats in the Upper House of Parliament.
The list includes Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who has been nominated once again from Karnataka, alongside party spokesperson Pawan Khera and Karnataka leader Mansoor Ali Khan.
The announcement comes as political parties intensify preparations for the June 18 Rajya Sabha elections across multiple states.
Karnataka Emerges As Key Focus
Karnataka features prominently in the Congress list, with three candidates receiving nominations from the state. Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge has been renominated, highlighting his continuing central role in the organisation.
Pawan Khera’s inclusion is also being viewed as a significant move, given his visibility as one of the party’s most prominent national faces. Mansoor Ali Khan completes the Congress slate from Karnataka.
New Faces And Veteran Leaders Make The Cut
The party has also selected former parliamentarian Meenakshi Natarajan from Madhya Pradesh, while data strategist and Congress professional wing chief Praveen Chakravarty has been nominated from Tamil Nadu.
In Rajasthan, sitting member Neeraj Dangi has been given another opportunity, while Pranav Jha has been chosen as the party’s candidate from Jharkhand.
Congress Candidates For Rajya Sabha Elections
- Karnataka – Mallikarjun Kharge
- Karnataka – Pawan Khera
- Karnataka – Mansoor Ali Khan
- Madhya Pradesh – Meenakshi Natarajan
- Rajasthan – Neeraj Dangi
- Tamil Nadu – Praveen Chakravarty
- Jharkhand – Pranav Jha
Polling Scheduled For June 18
The Rajya Sabha elections will be conducted on June 18 for 24 seats spread across 10 states. The vacancies have arisen due to the retirement of several members whose terms are ending between June and July.
States going to the polls include Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram.
The nomination process is currently underway, with political parties racing to finalize their candidates before the deadline.
Several High-Profile Retirements
This election cycle marks the end of the current Rajya Sabha terms of several prominent leaders, including former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh and a number of Union ministers and senior parliamentarians.
