BJP picks Nitin Nabin and Shivesh Kumar for Rajya Sabha elections in Bihar
Patna, March 3
The Bharatiya Janata Party has announced its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Bihar, naming Nitin Nabin and Shivesh Kumar Ram for two seats.
Nitin Nabin, who is currently an MLA from the Bankipur Assembly constituency in Patna district, was appointed a minister after the NDA formed the government following the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections.
However, he later resigned from the ministerial post after being appointed as the BJP's national president.
Shivesh Kumar previously contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Sasaram (SC-reserved) constituency but lost to Congress candidate Manoj Kumar Ram by 19,157 votes.
His nomination to the Rajya Sabha is being seen as a strategic move by the party.
With the BJP announcing its nominees, attention has now shifted to the Janata Dal (United) list.
As part of the NDA arrangement, JD(U) is expected to get two of the four NDA-backed seats.
Among the names doing the rounds are Union Minister Ram Nath Thakur and Nishant Kumar, son of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
There had been intense speculation that Bhojpuri film star Pawan Singh would be nominated by the BJP for the Rajya Sabha.
However, the party's announcement has put all such speculation to rest.
Elections are scheduled on March 16 for five vacant Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar, with nominations to be filed by March 5.
The outgoing members include Ramnath Thakur (JDU), Harivansh Narayan Singh (JDU), Upendra Kushwaha (RLM), Prem Chand Gupta (RJD), and Amarendra Dhari Singh (RJD).
According to the current Assembly strength, NDA has 202 MLAs and winning one Rajya Sabha seat requires 41 votes. To win all five seats, 205 MLAs would be required.
The ruling NDA alliance is considered certain to win four of the five seats based on current numbers, while the fifth seat could witness a contest, as neither the NDA nor the opposition Grand Alliance has a clear majority for it.
By announcing candidates for its share of seats, the BJP has signalled its strategy of fielding leaders who can strongly represent Bihar's interests at the national level.
The development has intensified political discussions across the state as parties finalise their strategies for the upcoming election.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting choices. Giving Shivesh Kumar a chance after his Lok Sabha loss shows the party's faith in him. But I respectfully disagree with the strategy—shouldn't they have considered a fresh face or a woman candidate for better representation?
All this political musical chairs... Nitin becomes minister, then resigns, now Rajya Sabha. Meanwhile, the common man's issues remain. Hope these MPs actually work for Bihar's development and not just party politics.
The real story is the fifth seat! With the numbers so tight, it's going to be a nail-biter. JD(U) getting two seats as part of the NDA deal shows Nitish Kumar's continued influence. Bihar politics is never boring! 😄
Glad they didn't go with a film star. Rajya Sabha should be for serious politicians who understand policy. Shivesh Kumar from Sasaram might help BJP strengthen its base in that SC-reserved constituency for the future.
The math is fascinating. 202 MLAs, need 41 per seat... the fifth seat contest will be a test of political management. Shows how every vote counts in a democracy, even at the state assembly level.
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