Voting will be held on Monday for a total of 11 Rajya Sabha seats across three Indian states: Bihar, Haryana, and Odisha. The upcoming elections have seen a larger number of candidates appealing for the designated seats, raising the stakes as the political fortunes of the candidates are about to be decided. In particular, all eyes are on the fifth Rajya Sabha seat in Bihar, where shifting allegiances from Asaduddin Owaisi's party have added to the tensions faced by the NDA. Meanwhile, Congress is concerned about the possibility of cross-voting in Haryana and Odisha, complicating their campaign strategies.

In Haryana, two seats are contested with three candidates, while Bihar has six candidates vying for its five seats, and Odisha has five candidates competing for four seats. The most compelling contest is in Bihar, where the NDA is fielding notable leaders including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Ramnath Thakur, Nitin Naveen, and Shivesh Kumar. The race for the fifth seat is particularly tight between NDA-supported Upendra Kushwaha and RJD's Amarendra Dhari Singh, making it a focal point of the elections.

As the voting day approaches, the challenge for the NDA will be to consolidate votes, especially in Bihar, where their support is being tested. The outcomes in these elections could significantly impact the political trajectories not just in the states involved but in the wider national political landscape, especially ahead of the crucial state assembly and general elections in the coming months.