Rajya Sabha polls 2026: BJP names Terash Gowalla, Jogen Mohan from Assam

Guwahati: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday announced its candidates for the 2026 biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha, nominating representatives from six states — Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Odisha and West Bengal.

In a press statement issued from its central office in New Delhi, the party said its Central Election Committee has approved the names for the upcoming polls scheduled for March 16.

From Assam, the BJP has fielded Terash Gowalla, 51, and Jogen Mohan, 62 — both considered key figures in the party’s organisational expansion in upper Assam.

Gowalla is a two-time Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) representing the Duliajan constituency in Dibrugarh district.

In 2018, he briefly resigned from the Assembly citing dissatisfaction with certain party functions but later returned to active political duty. His renomination is being viewed as a calculated move to reinforce the party’s base in Upper Assam.

Jogen Mohan is currently serving as a Cabinet Minister in the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government. He represents the Mahmora constituency and was first elected to the Assam Legislative Assembly in 2016, securing re-election in 2021.

Mohan presently handles key portfolios including Transport, Hill Areas Development, Co-operation, Indigenous and Tribal Faith & Culture (covering the Directorates of Archaeology, Library and Museum), and Public Works (Buildings & National Highways).

With the announcement, the BJP has formally set the stage for the March 16 Rajya Sabha elections, positioning its Assam nominees as a blend of organisational experience and ministerial heft.