Rajya Sabha Elections 2026: 3 Bihar Congress MLAs Missing, Phones Switched Off Amid Voting

Voting for the 2026 Rajya Sabha elections began on Monday across several states, including Bihar, Haryana, and Odisha, with political tensions rising amid reports of missing legislators and allegations of attempts to influence MLAs. One of the most significant developments emerged from Bihar, where three Congress MLAs reportedly remained out of contact with the party during the crucial voting process.

According to political sources, the three legislators had not cast their votes and were also unreachable by party leaders. Their mobile phones were reportedly switched off, raising concerns within the Congress camp about possible cross-voting or political pressure ahead of the Rajya Sabha results.

The elections are being held for 11 seats across the three states, with the results expected later in the evening. These polls are part of the biennial Rajya Sabha elections that occur when sitting members of the Upper House complete their term.

Bihar has become the main political battleground in this round of elections. Voting is being conducted for five Rajya Sabha seats in the state, where the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is widely expected to secure a majority of the positions.

Among the prominent candidates contesting from Bihar is Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has filed his nomination for the Upper House. Other key candidates include leaders from the BJP and its alliance partners. Political analysts believe that the ruling coalition holds a strong numerical advantage in the state assembly.

At the same time, the opposition Grand Alliance has attempted to maintain unity among its legislators. Ahead of the elections, opposition parties moved several of their MLAs to a hotel to prevent possible cross-voting or defection. Such political strategies, often referred to as “resort politics,” have become increasingly common during closely contested legislative elections in India.

Voting activity continued throughout the morning at the Bihar Assembly, with many legislators casting their votes early in the day. Senior political leaders from various parties arrived at the assembly to participate in the election process.

Reports indicated that hundreds of MLAs from the ruling coalition had already voted by mid-morning. Leaders from opposition parties also participated in the polling, while monitoring the situation closely due to concerns about internal dissent or political manoeuvring.

Similar political developments were also reported in Odisha, where legislators were moved to a resort in Bengaluru amid concerns of possible poaching attempts. Opposition leaders alleged that individuals attempted to approach certain MLAs with financial offers to influence their votes.

Meanwhile, voting in Haryana also witnessed strong participation as legislators arrived at the assembly to cast their ballots.

The Rajya Sabha elections are crucial for shaping the composition of the Upper House of Parliament. Political parties closely track these results because they influence legislative strength and the ability to pass important bills.

As the voting process continues across the states, attention remains focused on Bihar, where the absence of three Congress MLAs has added uncertainty to the political calculations. The final results are expected to provide clarity on the balance of power in the Upper House once the counting concludes later in the day.