The Rajya Sabha elections in Bihar have ignited a fierce political showdown, transforming a routine poll into a prestige contest for NDA and Mahagathbandhan. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s candidacy has elevated stakes, potentially altering governance and alliances in the state.
Polling for five seats is set for March 16, a rarity after 12 years of unopposed victories. NDA fields five candidates: Nitish Kumar and Ram Nath Thakur (JD(U)), Nitin Naveen and Shivesh Ram (BJP). RJD counters with Amrendra Dhari Singh.
Assembly math favors NDA on four seats, but the fifth is anyone’s game. With 38 surplus votes after securing the first four, NDA needs three more; Mahagathbandhan chases six.
Drama unfolded as Tejashwi Yadav joined AIMIM MLA Akhtarul Iman’s iftar gathering in Patna. Sources say this was Tejashwi’s bid to secure AIMIM’s five crucial votes alongside BSP’s single MLA. ‘We requested support and I’m optimistic,’ Tejashwi stated post-event.
To safeguard their flock, opposition leaders have lodged MLAs in a fortified Patna hotel with round-the-clock vigilance. These six independent votes are the election’s kingmakers.
Voting runs from 9 AM to 4 PM, followed by immediate counting. Incumbents like Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh, whose terms end in April, add context to the high drama.
This poll tests loyalties in Nitish’s NDA camp and the opposition’s unity. Victory on the fifth seat could bolster Mahagathbandhan’s morale; a loss might expose cracks.