In a significant political move ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections, former Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha has been declared the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate from Bihar. Kushwaha, who leads the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM), is set to file his nomination on March 5.
The decision reportedly followed late-night strategy discussions with senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), underlining the importance of the seat in the state’s political calculations.
High-Level Meetings Before Announcement
Sources indicate that Kushwaha met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president Nitin Naveen to finalise the candidature. The discussions are believed to have focused on the vacant Rajya Sabha seat and the broader political situation in Bihar ahead of upcoming electoral battles.
Kushwaha’s return to the Upper House through NDA backing signals renewed coordination within the alliance in Bihar.
NDA Strong Position in Bihar Assembly
The NDA currently enjoys a comfortable majority in Bihar’s 243-member Legislative Assembly. Due to this numerical advantage, the alliance is expected to win four out of the five Rajya Sabha seats from the state.
The opposition Mahagathbandhan is likely to secure the remaining one seat, making the contest largely predictable unless last-minute political shifts occur.
Rajya Sabha Elections on March 16
The Election Commission has scheduled biennial elections to 37 Rajya Sabha seats on March 16. These seats are falling vacant in April across ten states, including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh.
Maharashtra will see the highest number of seats going to polls with seven, followed by Tamil Nadu and West Bengal with six each. Bihar also has six seats up for election.
Prominent Leaders Set to Retire
Several senior leaders are completing their terms this year. Among them are Sharad Pawar, Harivansh Narayan Singh, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Ramdas Athawale, Abhishek Manu Singhvi and several others from major political parties.
