North India Statesman
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News India Live, Digital Desk: Once again the excitement in Jharkhand politics regarding Rajya Sabha elections has intensified. Two Rajya Sabha seats from Jharkhand are falling vacant in the year 2026, regarding which the ruling alliance (JMM-Congress) and the opposition party BJP (BJP) have started laying their chessboard. Congress’s latest claim in this race has created a stir in the political circles.
Elections are to be held on which two seats?
The situation of the two Rajya Sabha seats from Jharkhand for which there is a contest is as follows:
Shibu Soren’s seat: This seat is vacant after the demise (4 August 2025) of ‘Dishom Guru’ Shibu Soren. His tenure was till June 2026.
Deepak Prakash Seat: The tenure of BJP leader and former state president Deepak Prakash is ending on June 21, 2026.
Congress’s ‘claim’ and tension in the alliance
Congress state in-charge K. Raju has increased the concern of JMM by staking Congress’s claim on a seat on behalf of ‘India’ alliance. Congress argues that JMM, which is playing the role of elder brother in the alliance, should leave one seat for its ally this time. However, JMM seems to be in no mood to give up the seat on the basis of its numerical strength.
What does the assembly’s ‘numbers game’ say?
As per the current party position in Jharkhand Assembly, to win a seat any candidate must have at least 27 to 28 first preference votes May need it:
| party/coalition | Number of MLAs (approx.) | Rajya Sabha Mathematics |
|---|---|---|
| JMM (JMM) | 34 | Victory on one seat is completely assured. |
| BJP | 21 | Support of other parties needed for the second seat. |
| Congress | 16 | Eye on one seat with the help of alliance. |
| Others (AJSU, JDU, RJD) | 10 | In the role of kingmaker. |
Will the screw get stuck on the second seat?
JMM will easily win one seat on the strength of its 34 MLAs, but the real ‘game’ will be for the second seat. BJP has 21 MLAs and will need 6-7 additional votes to win. At the same time, if Congress and RJD together coordinate with the remaining votes of JMM, then the contest can be very interesting and tough.
