The results for the Rajya Sabha elections in Bihar have been announced, with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) securing victory in all five seats. The winning candidates include Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, BJP's Nitin Naveen and Shivesh Kumar, JDU's Ram Nath Thakur, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha's Upendra Kushwaha. The opposition Mahagathbandhan, led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), had fielded Amrendra Dhari Singh as their sole candidate, who failed to secure a win. According to election officials, the NDA's fifth candidate, Shivesh Kumar, was declared victorious based on second-preference votes after the initial counting phase.
Detailed Breakdown of Election Results and Vote Counts
According to the official data released after the counting process, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and BJP leader Nitin Naveen both secured 44 first-preference votes each. Candidates Ram Nath Thakur and Upendra Kushwaha received 42 votes each. Shivesh Kumar, the fifth NDA candidate, initially secured 30 first-preference votes but surpassed the required threshold through second-preference allocations. The victory marks a significant consolidation for the NDA in the upper house of Parliament from the state of Bihar. The RJD candidate, despite being the lone representative of the opposition, couldn't gather enough support to secure a seat.
Constitutional Implications and Leadership Transition
With Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's election to the Rajya Sabha, a major leadership transition is imminent in Bihar. Under constitutional provisions, a member can't simultaneously hold a seat in the State Legislature and the Union Parliament, while as Nitish Kumar is currently the Chief Minister and a member of the Bihar Legislative Council, his move to the Rajya Sabha necessitates his resignation from the chief ministerial post. This development will trigger the process of electing a new leader for the NDA legislative party in the state and the subsequent formation of a new cabinet, while the political landscape in Patna is expected to witness significant shifts in the coming days.
Voting Statistics and Legislator Attendance
The polling process commenced at 9 AM at the Bihar Legislative Assembly premises and concluded at 5 PM, followed immediately by the counting of votes. Senior JDU leader and Minister Shravan Kumar stated that all 202 NDA MLAs participated in the voting process. However, four MLAs from the opposition Mahagathbandhan were absent. These included RJD MLA from Dhaka, Faizal Rahman, and three Congress MLAs: Manohar Prasad Singh (Manihari), Surendra Kushwaha (Valmikinagar), and Manoj Vishwas (Forbesganj). Notable voters included BJP National President and Bankipur MLA Nitin Naveen, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, and JDU MLA Anant Singh, who cast his vote while in judicial custody.
Allegations of Horse-Trading and Political Reactions
The election was marred by allegations from the Congress party regarding the disappearance of its legislators, while bihar Congress President Rajesh Ram alleged that the BJP had "stolen" their MLAs to influence the election outcome. He claimed that three Congress MLAs were in regular contact until the night of the 13th but went missing thereafter. Ram further alleged that the legislators were placed under house arrest with police deployment outside their residences, while the Congress leadership has indicated that strict disciplinary action will be taken against the absentee MLAs after consultations with senior party officials. The BJP has dismissed these claims, attributing the absence to internal dissatisfaction within the opposition alliance.