JD(U) leader to go to legislative council, Upendra Kushwaha to enter Rajya Sabha

Patna: Senior JD(U) leader Bhagwan Singh Kushwaha on Tuesday filed his nomination papers for by-election to Bihar legislative council, necessitated by the disqualification of an RJD MLC.

Kushwaha submitted his nomination papers at the Vidhan Sabha secretariat in the presence of top leaders of the NDA in Bihar, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who heads the JD(U).

Also present on the occasion were Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, both from BJP, and state minister Santosh Kumar Suman whose Hindustani Awam Morcha is headed by his father and Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.

Notably, another ally who turned up on the occasion was former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha, whose Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) had initially frowned upon the candidature of Bhagwan Singh Kushwaha.

The RLM was said to be eyeing the seat as part of the seat-sharing deal struck with the BJP ahead of Lok Sabha polls.

The fledgling party was promised a Lok Sabha seat, which Kushwaha fought and lost, besides a berth in the legislative council.

However, the RLM chief, who spoke to journalists on the occasion, disclosed that he is now being sent to the Rajya Sabha.

"I am thankful to allies BJP, Nitish ji, Manjhi ji and Chirag Paswan ji (Union minister and LJP-Ram Vilas president)," said Kushwaha, who had been in the wilderness since his exit from the JD(U) a year ago when he also gave up his membership of the legislative council.

Although no announcement has so far been made for elections to the Rajya Sabha, by-polls are expected for a couple of seats falling vacant upon the election of Vivek Thakur of the BJP and Misa Bharti of the RJD to the Lok Sabha.

Interestingly, the RJD has not fielded a candidate despite the by-poll being necessitated by the disqualification of Rambali Singh Chandravanshi, following a complaint to the council's chairman that the MLC was involved in anti-party activities.

RJD sources said that the party leadership might be avoiding a contest in keeping with a convention in Bihar where members usually get elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha and the Vidhan Parishad.

Filing of nomination papers comes to a close on Tuesday while the last date for withdrawal of the same is on Friday.

Voting is scheduled for July 12.