New Delhi: With by-elections looming for two Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has finalised its candidates. RLM President Upendra Kushwaha has been selected for one of the seats and will file his nomination on August 21. Kushwaha confirmed this on social media platform X, noting that the nomination was initially planned for August 20 but has now been rescheduled. The deadline for filing nominations is August 21, with the Election Commission having issued the official notification on August 14.
Kushwaha’s nomination comes after his defeat in the recent Lok Sabha elections from the Karakat seat, which was later won by Rajaram Singh of the Left party. The Karakat seat saw intense competition, particularly after actor Pawan Singh ran as an independent candidate, contributing to NDA’s internal challenges. In an effort to ease tensions and address Kushwaha’s dissatisfaction, the NDA has strategically chosen to send him to the Rajya Sabha.
On the second seat, the BJP is expected to field a candidate, with the state unit having submitted a shortlist to the party’s central leadership. The announcement of the candidate is anticipated soon.
The two Rajya Sabha seats fell vacant following the election victories of Misa Bharti and Vivek Thakur, who are now members of the Lok Sabha. According to the Election Commission’s schedule, scrutiny of nominations will be held on August 22, while candidates have until August 27 to withdraw their names.
Upendra Kushwaha’s political journey has seen him move between alliances, including merging his party with the JD(U) before splitting to form the Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha (RLM). His return to the NDA fold, culminating in this Rajya Sabha nomination, highlights the alliance’s efforts to consolidate support and maintain stability ahead of crucial elections.
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