Voting Underway for Bihar's Rajya Sabha Seats Amid Opposition Setbacks
Voting Process for Rajya Sabha Seats in Bihar
Voting is currently taking place for five Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar, and the opposition alliance appears to be facing significant challenges. Reports indicate that four legislators from the coalition are either missing or unreachable on the day of voting. Three Congress members—Surendra Prasad Kushwaha from Valmikinagar in West Champaran, Manoj Biswas from Farbisganj, and Manohar Prasad Singh from Manihari—are reportedly out of contact. Their mobile phones are switched off, and they have not been able to connect with party leaders.
Concerns Over Missing Legislators
Another legislator, Abidur Rahman from Araria, has yet to arrive in Patna. However, he is said to be in touch with party officials and has assured them of his arrival in the state capital. Meanwhile, out of the 25 legislators from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), 24 have cast their votes, while Faisal Ali, the party's representative from Dhaka, has not yet reached the assembly to vote. Amidst these absences, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad claimed that no Congress legislators were present during the voting process.
BJP's Claims and Voting Details
Prasad congratulated all his candidates in advance, asserting that this is a clear victory for the NDA alliance. He questioned the credibility of any party that could not ensure the presence of its legislators. Voting for the five Rajya Sabha seats is ongoing, with candidates from the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the opposition RJD competing. The voting commenced at 9 AM and will continue until 5 PM in the Bihar Assembly premises, followed by the counting of votes.
NDA Candidates in the Race
Among the NDA candidates are Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, along with BJP National President Nitin Nabin. The other three candidates from the ruling coalition include Union Minister Ram Nath Thakur, Upendra Kushwaha, the head of the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) and a current Rajya Sabha member, and Shivesh Kumar from the BJP, who is vying for a seat in the upper house for the first time.