The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has renominated former Union Minister Birendra Prasad Baishya as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha election from Assam. Baishya, a sitting Rajya Sabha member, is set to retire on June 14.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has scheduled the biennial Rajya Sabha elections for June 19, covering eight seats — six from Tamil Nadu and two from Assam. Voting will take place from 9 AM to 4 PM, with counting scheduled for the same day.

From Assam, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has nominated Kanad Purkayastha, son of late Union Minister and state BJP co-founder Kabindra Purkayastha. The two outgoing Rajya Sabha members from the state are Mission Ranjan Das (BJP) and Birendra Prasad Baishya (AGP).

In Tamil Nadu, six members — Anbumani Ramadoss (PMK), M Shanmugam (DMK), N Chandrasegharan (AIADMK), M Mohamed Abdulla (DMK), P Wilson (DMK), and Vaiko (MDMK) — will retire on July 24.

Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief Kamal Haasan has filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu in the presence of Chief Minister MK Stalin. His move drew criticism from BJP leader H Raja, who accused Haasan of aligning with the DMK for political gain despite his earlier opposition to the party.

With 158 MLAs, the DMK-led INDIA bloc is expected to comfortably secure four of the six Rajya Sabha seats in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, where each candidate requires at least 34 votes to be elected.