The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced former Karnal MP Sanjay Bhatia as its Rajya Sabha candidate from Haryana for the upcoming biennial elections scheduled on March 16, 2026. The announcement comes as part of the party’s larger strategy to strengthen its presence in the Upper House.
While Bhatia’s name has been cleared for one of the two Rajya Sabha seats from Haryana, the party is yet to announce its candidate for the second seat.
BJP’s Strategy for Rajya Sabha Elections 2026
The BJP has announced a total of nine candidates across states for the March 16 Rajya Sabha polls, signalling a calculated move to consolidate its numbers in Parliament’s Upper House. Alongside Bhatia’s nomination from Haryana, the party has also fielded its National President Nitin Naveen as a Rajya Sabha candidate from Bihar.
The elections will be held for 37 seats across 10 states Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Telangana where the terms of sitting members are set to expire in April 2026.
When is Rajya Sabha Voting? Key Dates Announced
The Election Commission of India has scheduled polling for the Rajya Sabha biennial elections on March 16. Vote counting will take place on the same day at 5 pm, and the entire election process will conclude by March 20.
The notification for the polls was issued on February 26. The last date for filing nominations is March 5, scrutiny will be conducted on March 6, and candidates can withdraw their nominations until March 9.
Who is Sanjay Bhatia? Political Journey and Background
Born on July 29, 1967, Sanjay Bhatia is a senior BJP leader from Haryana with significant organisational and parliamentary experience. He was elected as a Member of Parliament from the Karnal constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Within the party, Bhatia has served as the Haryana State General Secretary of the BJP, playing a key role in strengthening the organisation at the state level. He has also held administrative responsibility as the former Chairman of the Haryana Khadi and Village Industries Board.
BJP announces its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.
Nitin Nabin, Shivesh Kumar from Bihar.
Terash Gowalla, Jogen Mohan from Assam.
Laxmi Verma from Chhattisgarh.
Sanjay Bhatia from Haryana.
Manmohan Samal, Sujeet Kumar from Odisha
Rahul Sinha from West Bengal. pic.twitter.com/jM3afnPLLi— ANI (@ANI) March 3, 2026
Educational Qualifications of Sanjay Bhatia
Sanjay Bhatia holds a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) degree from I.B. College, Panipat, affiliated with Kurukshetra University, which he completed in 1988. He is categorised as a graduate in his official election affidavit records.
Sanjay Bhatia’s Assets and Liabilities
According to his declared affidavit details, Bhatia has total assets worth approximately Rs 22.56 lakh. His declared liabilities stand at around Rs 5 lakh.
With the Rajya Sabha elections approaching, Sanjay Bhatia’s nomination reflects the BJP’s emphasis on experienced leaders with organisational depth. As Haryana heads into the March 16 polls, all eyes will be on whether the party announces its second candidate and how the numbers stack up in the Upper House race.
Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
