NDA Confident of Securing All Five Rajya Sabha Seats from Bihar
In Patna, behind-the-scenes discussions have commenced for the fifth Rajya Sabha seat, with the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) striving to capture all five positions set to become vacant from Bihar in April. The Rajya Sabha election is scheduled for March 16, with March 5 marking the final date for nomination submissions.
NDA's Numerical Advantage and Opposition's Challenges
NDA leaders have expressed confidence in winning all seats from Bihar, leveraging their strength of 202 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), falling just three short of the required number to secure the fifth seat. To win a Rajya Sabha seat from Bihar, a candidate needs the support of 41 MLAs. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) possess 89 and 85 MLAs respectively, enabling them to independently secure at least two seats each.
In contrast, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), with 25 MLAs, along with 10 additional MLAs from the Congress, Left parties, and Saharsa MLA I P Gupta, faces a more challenging path. To win at least one seat, the RJD must unite all five All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLAs led by Asaduddin Owaisi and the lone Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA, while maintaining cohesion within its Mahagathbandhan alliance.
Key Players and Political Maneuvering
Among NDA partners, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) (LJP(RV)) of Chirag Paswan, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) (HAM(S)) of Jitan Ram Manjhi, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) of Upendra Kushwaha are actively vying for the fifth seat. LJP(RV) minister Sanjay Kumar Singh stated on Friday that his party's leaders and all 19 MLAs advocate for Union minister Chirag Paswan's mother, Reena Paswan, to represent Bihar in the Rajya Sabha.
RLM MLA Madhav Anand expressed hope that the NDA leadership would renominate his party chief Upendra Kushwaha, whose Rajya Sabha term is also expiring. However, Kushwaha's situation is complicated by the need for his son, Deepak Prakash, to secure a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) seat within three months to allow Kushwaha to continue as a minister in the Nitish Kumar cabinet, as he is not a member of either state house. This makes Kushwaha's selection a difficult decision for the BJP, especially given the long-standing demand from Manjhi for a HAM(S) berth in the Upper House. RLM has four MLAs compared to HAM(S)'s six.
Opposition Dynamics and Statements
AIMIM state chief and MLA Akhtarul Iman declared on Friday that his party would field its own candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections, challenging the RJD to reciprocate support. "I will ask Tejashwi to support the AIMIM candidate. Why should we always vote for them and they won’t? Politics is a game of give and take," he asserted. Meanwhile, BSP lone MLA Satish indicated that party supremo Mayawati would decide their voting direction.
JD(U) minister Madan Sahni added intrigue on Thursday by suggesting that a few AIMIM MLAs were in contact with the ruling coalition. On the opposition side, RJD MLA Ranvijay Sahu predicted the opposition would win one seat in the March 16 polls, while CPI(ML) MLA Ajay Kumar hoped AIMIM would back the RJD candidate on moral and ideological grounds to prevent potential horse-trading for the three additional votes the NDA requires.
Conclusion: High-Stakes Political Battle
As the Rajya Sabha elections approach, Bihar's political landscape is marked by intense negotiations and strategic alignments. The NDA's push for a clean sweep faces opposition efforts to consolidate support, setting the stage for a closely watched electoral contest that could influence state and national politics.
