Despite massive success of the Mahagathbandhan in Assembly election, the JD(U) is going to suffer a jolt in the biennial election to the Rajya Sabha in July next year. But its ally RJD will register gain. On the other hand, in spite of major defeat, the BJP will also make gain.
Altogether five seats in the Upper House are going to fall vacant of which JD(U) and RJD will win two each and one seat will go to BJP. All the five seats though presently belong to JD(U).
JD(U)’s top leaders completing their term include party president Sharad Yadav, general secretary K C Tyagi, party’s visible face on English print and electronic media and former diplomat Pawan K Varma, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s man R C P Singh and one of the three Muslims of the party in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Rasool Baliavi.
Of these five, the party with its strength of 71 in the Assembly can win only two seats that too with the help of Congress. The big question is who would be the two lucky persons to be retained. The speculations making round in the party circle is that Sharad and Tyagi are most likely to be retained. The bigger question is what will happen to three others particularly Pawan and Singh. Sharad, Tyagi and Baliavi had been adjusted in 2014 in Rajya Sabha on vacant seats which had a remaining term of only two years.
With a strength of 80 in the Assembly, the RJD is all set to win two seats and the party will open its account in the Upper House of the parliament from Bihar. It has one seat represented by Prem Chand Gupta from Jharkhand. The BJP with 53 MlAs will win one seat.
From the RJD side, the names of former Chief Minister Rabri Devi or her daughter Misa Bharti are making round. Rabri is currently member of Bihar legislative Council.
JD(U) won 71 seats in the recently held Assembly election but it was a loss of 44 seats for the party if compared with results of 2010 election. The party had 115 MlAs in the last Assembly. BJP won 53 seats and suffered a loss of 38 as compared to 2010.
To win one seat in Rajya Sabha first preference votes of 41 MlAs will be required. At present BJP has four members in Rajya Sabha from Bihar including two Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Dharmendra Pradhan. Apart from the five retiring members JD(U) has seven more Rajya Sabha members.