The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the lead constituent of the five-party opposition alliance in Bihar, has decided to contest four of the 11 seats of the state legislative council that are due for polling on March 21 and will support ally CPI-ML (Liberation) candidate for the fifth seat.
Former chief minister Rabri Devi, former minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui, Urmila Thakur and Syed Faisal Ali will be the RJD candidates while Shashi Yadav will be the CPI-ML (Liberation) nominee, according to the list issued by RJD state president Jagdanand Singh on Friday.
In a press statement, RJD’s state spokesperson Chittaranjan Gagan said all names have been finalised by party chief Lalu Prasad and his son and former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav following consultations with alliance leaders.
While Rabri Devi is currently an MLC (member of the legislative council), Siddiqui has been an MLC in the past.
Urmila Thakur, Faisal Ali and Shashi Yadav are seeking election to the Upper House of the state legislature for the first time.
Thakur, who has headed state RJD’s women’s cell and a spokesperson, comes from extremely backward classes (EBCs). “She is an old party loyalist and her selection is a message that RJD rewards its dedicated workers,” said Gagan.
The candidature of Siddiqui, a former minister who has for some time been in wilderness, and Ali, who unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls on a RJD ticket, seems to be a reassurance to Muslims who have been loyal towards the party for decades.
The RJD decision to contest four seats means Congress forgoing its claim for one seat, which is currently held by party’s Prem Chandra Mishra, whose term is ending in May.
“Congress got the support of Left parties in the recent Rajya Sabha polls where Akhilesh Prasad Singh was re-elected as an MP. The ML had a natural right to get one seat,” an RJD leader said, wishing anonymity.
The last date of nomination is March 11.
In case there is no additional nominations against the 11 seats either from the NDA or the opposition alliance, all contestants would be declared elected unopposed on March 14, the last date of withdrawal of candidature.
As per election officials, a candidate needs support of 22 MLAs to win a seat in the legislative council in Bihar.
RJD has 79 MLAs, Congress (19) and the three left parties together (15).
Although a few MLAs of Congress and RJD have rebelled recently, they have not joined any other party so far.
