Political negotiations have intensified ahead of the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Bihar, with sources indicating that the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has approached the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) for support.
According to party insiders, AIMIM has demanded one seat in the Bihar Legislative Council in exchange for backing the RJD candidate in the Rajya Sabha contest. However, the RJD has not yet responded to the proposal.
Earlier, AIMIM’s Bihar state president Akhtarul Iman said that if the RJD does not initiate discussions, his party may choose not to participate in the voting process.
He also indicated that the RJD candidate’s chances of victory depend heavily on the support of AIMIM’s five MLAs, along with one MLA from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
Six Candidates Competing for Five Seats
The contest for five Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar has become more competitive after six candidates remained in the race following the withdrawal deadline.
Officials confirmed that none of the nominees withdrew their candidature, ensuring a contest when voting takes place next week.
According to Bihar Vidhan Sabha Secretary Khyati Singh, all six candidates will now face the election.
The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has fielded five candidates, while the opposition has nominated one candidate.
Key Leaders in the Race
Among the prominent candidates is Nitish Kumar, who recently announced his decision to move to the Rajya Sabha, potentially ending his nearly two-decade-long tenure as Chief Minister of Bihar.
Also contesting is Nitin Nabin, the Bihar president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, who filed his nomination papers on March 5 in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Other NDA candidates include Union Minister Ram Nath Thakur, seeking a third consecutive term, Upendra Kushwaha of the Rashtriya Lok Morcha, and BJP state general secretary Shivesh Kumar, who hopes to enter Parliament for the first time.
Opposition Fields Amarendra Dhari Singh
The opposition has nominated Amarendra Dhari Singh from the RJD, a businessman-turned-politician who currently serves as a Member of Parliament.
Earlier, the RJD held two of the five Rajya Sabha seats that are now due for election. However, after its poor performance in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, where the party secured only 25 seats, it decided to contest just one seat this time.
As part of this strategy, the party dropped senior leader and former Union minister Prem Chand Gupta from the race.
AIMIM’s Role Could Be Decisive
The NDA currently holds a strong majority in the 243-member Bihar Assembly, with around 202 MLAs. However, the alliance still falls a few votes short of the number required to comfortably secure all five seats.
Meanwhile, the RJD is backed by around 10 MLAs from parties in the Mahagathbandhan alliance, making every vote crucial.
Political observers say the stance of AIMIM could become decisive in determining the final outcome of the Rajya Sabha election from Bihar.
