NewKerala.com

NDA Sweeps Bihar Rajya Sabha Polls Amid Opposition Absenteeism Claims

The National Democratic Alliance secured a clean sweep in the Rajya Sabha elections for five seats from Bihar. The victory was marred by controversy as three Congress MLAs were absent during voting, with the party's state chief alleging they were abducted by the BJP. The results hinged on the NDA's commanding numerical strength of around 202 MLAs in the 243-seat Bihar Assembly. Deputy Chief Ministers hailed the win while accusing the opposition RJD and Congress of having their true nature exposed by their own MLAs' refusal to vote.

Key Points: NDA Wins All 5 Rajya Sabha Seats in Bihar

  • NDA wins all five seats
  • Opposition MLAs absent during vote
  • Congress alleges BJP abducted its MLAs
  • Victory decided by first and second preference votes
  • NDA's numerical strength in Assembly decisive
3 min read

NDA wins all five Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar

NDA secures all five Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar. Opposition alleges BJP abducted MLAs as three Congress legislators go missing during voting.

"Today, the true conduct of the RJD and Congress has been exposed. - Vijay Kumar Sinha"

Patna, March 16

The National Democratic Alliance registered a clean sweep in the elections held for five seats of the Rajya Sabha from Bihar, with all its candidates securing victory.

The result dealt a setback to the Opposition Mahagathbandhan.

The NDA had fielded Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) national president Nitish Kumar, Bharatiya Janata Party chief Nitin Nabin, Union Minister Ram Nath Thakur, Rashtriya Lok Morcha chief Upendra Kushwaha, and BJP candidate Shivesh Ram.

All five candidates won their respective seats.

During voting in the Bihar Legislative Assembly, 202 MLAs from the NDA cast their votes, while 37 MLAs from the Mahagathbandhan participated in the polling.

On behalf of the Opposition, Indian National Congress MLAs Manoj Biswas, Surendra Kushwaha and Manohar Prasad Singh, along with Rashtriya Janata Dal MLA Faisal Rahman, were absent during the voting.

Bihar Congress President Rajesh Ram issued a statement regarding the disappearance of three Congress MLAs.

He alleged that the BJP has abducted their legislators. He noted that, despite the BJP being in power, these three MLAs had remained in constant contact since March 13.

He further claimed that their MLAs have been placed under house arrest.

The counting of votes began at 5:00 p.m.

On the basis of first preference, Nitish Kumar, Nitin Nabin, Ram Nath Thakur, and Upendra Kushwaha secured victory, while Shivesh Ram secured his victory in the second preference of votes.

Meanwhile, the Mahagathbandhan's candidate A. D. Singh received 38 votes.

In the second preference round, Shivesh Ram secured additional votes, ensuring victory for all NDA candidates.

The Bihar Legislative Assembly has 243 seats, and the election was conducted to fill five Rajya Sabha seats.

Although six candidates were in the fray, the NDA's strong numerical strength in the Assembly played a decisive role in the outcome.

The ruling alliance currently enjoys the support of around 202 MLAs, while the Mahagathbandhan has 35 MLAs, giving the NDA a clear advantage.

Reacting to the victory, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary congratulated Nitin Nabin.

In a message, he said that Nabin's leadership, organisational skills and dedication to public service have consistently energised the party and society.

Choudhary expressed confidence that Nabin's role in the Rajya Sabha would help bring renewed momentum and direction to issues related to Bihar's development.

Speaking on the Rajya Sabha elections, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha said, "Today, the true conduct of the RJD and Congress has been exposed. Their very own MLAs refused to cast their votes. First, the public refused to vote for them."

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priyanka N
The opposition's claim of abduction sounds like a desperate excuse for their own internal mismanagement. If 3 MLAs were missing, why didn't they ensure their presence? This is poor strategy, not a conspiracy.
A
Aman W
While the NDA victory was expected given their numbers, the allegations from Congress are serious. They should provide proof or stop making such claims. It weakens the credibility of our democratic process.
S
Sarah B
Interesting to see the second preference vote come into play. Shows how the electoral system works beyond simple majority. Hope the elected members focus on Bihar's development issues now.
V
Vikram M
Deputy CM Sinha's point hits hard. If your own MLAs are absent, it speaks volumes about the opposition's discipline. First the public, now their own people... they need serious introspection.
K
Kriti O
The result was a foregone conclusion with that MLA count. The real story is the complete absence of a fight from Mahagathbandhan. They seem to have already accepted defeat even before the voting. Very disappointing for a healthy democracy.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50