Bihar Rajya Sabha Elections: NDA Favourite to Win All Five Seats as RJD Seeks Opposition Unity

Patna: The RJD in Bihar is making all-out efforts to unite the entire opposition in favour of its candidate AD Singh for the fifth seat in the March 16 Rajya Sabha elections, while the ruling NDA is on course to win all the five seats. As part of its strategy, the BJP-led NDA has fielded its ally Upendra Kushwaha, who heads the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM), as its fourth candidate to ensure his victory on the strength of its votes. Each candidate will need the votes of 41 MLAs to win a seat in the Upper House in the upcoming elections. Given the strong strength of 202 MLAs the ruling alliance has in the 243-member Bihar Assembly, it can easily win four seats, while its fifth candidate will need the votes of only three more MLAs from the non-NDA camp. The RJD-led Mahagathbandhan has 35 MLAs and will need the support of six MLAs to send a representative to the Rajya Sabha. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and former JD (U) leader Ramvesh Kumar are its fifth candidates.