As 72 Rajya Sabha seats fall vacant in 2026, Congress finds itself in a precarious situation in Maharashtra. The party is engaged in intense negotiations within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance to secure the state's lone Rajya Sabha seat. This move has been dubbed a “mathematical necessity” to protect the party's national standing in the Upper House, with the party facing a crucial test of numbers.
Congress currently holds 27 Rajya Sabha seats, but the imminent retirements of senior leaders like Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Rajni Patil, Phulodevi Netam, and K. T. S. Tulsi threaten to push its strength below the minimum threshold required to retain the Leader of Opposition (LoP) position. Under parliamentary rules, a party must have at least 25 MPs, representing 10% of the 245-member House, to claim the LoP post. With Congress' strength at risk, the party has begun to negotiate for Maharashtra's Rajya Sabha seat as a crucial step to stabilize its position.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, who also serves as the Leader of Opposition, is set to complete his term by June. The failure to secure a seat in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections could strip the party of the political prestige and institutional leverage associated with the LoP office. To avoid this scenario, Congress has reportedly proposed a seat swap arrangement to Uddhav Thackeray, the leader of Shiv Sena (UBT). The arrangement suggests that Congress would contest the Rajya Sabha seat, boosting its national tally, and in return, it would back Thackeray for a future Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) vacancy.
The proposal, according to Congress leaders, is essential not only for the party but also for maintaining the stability of the INDIA bloc at the national level and the MVA alliance in Maharashtra. However, the proposal is still subject to the consent of regional allies, particularly Thackeray and NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar. With the nomination deadline fast approaching, and elections set for March 16, the key question is whether Thackeray and Pawar will agree to Congress’ “national interest” plea. The decision could define the internal dynamics of the MVA alliance moving forward.
