Excitement grips Bihar’s political circles with Rajya Sabha elections announced for five vacant seats. NDA dominates with three current seats against RJD’s two. Four seats seem assured for NDA based on numbers, but the fifth hinges on delicate negotiations.
The wildcard? AIMIM’s five MLAs and a lone BSP member. Their backing could tip the scales for either NDA or the opposition Mahagathbandhan. JD(U)’s two seats feature heavyweights: Ram Nath Thakur, a Union Minister and Karpoori Thakur’s son, and Harivansh Narayan Singh, the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman.
Harivansh’s renomination faces uncertainty, but JD(U) insists on a clean sweep. BJP and JD(U) are set for two seats each, leaving the fifth as a prize for allies. Names floating for BJP include Nitin Nabin and singer-actor Pawan Singh.
Assembly arithmetic demands 41 votes per seat. NDA’s robust 202 MLAs cover four seats easily, needing only three extras for victory. Allies are circling: Jitan Ram Manjhi cites a Lok Sabha poll assurance from BJP; Chirag Paswan banks on his 19 lawmakers; Upendra Kushwaha eyes a comeback.
Opposition woes deepen: RJD’s Amarendra Dhari Singh and Prem Chandra Gupta vacate seats, but with just 25 MLAs, RJD struggles alone. Mahagathbandhan’s 35 total still falls short by six votes.
Front-runners: JD(U)’s Thakur and possibly Verma replacing Harivansh; BJP’s Nabin, Pawan Singh; fifth to LJP(R). Election timeline: nominations from February 26, polls on March 16. This battle tests NDA unity and opposition resilience in Bihar’s charged arena.