Patna, March 16: Voting for the biennial Rajya Sabha elections in Bihar commenced this morning at 9 AM. Legislators began arriving at the assembly premises early in the day to cast their votes. The atmosphere in Bihar is charged with anticipation as the elections unfold.
Among those present at the assembly were Bihar Assembly Speaker Prem Kumar, Water Resources and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Chaudhary, and Health Minister Mangal Pandey, along with several other ministers and legislators. Leaders of the Grand Alliance, including Tejashwi Yadav, the national executive president of the RJD, and Akhtarul Iman, the state president of AIMIM, also arrived at the assembly. AIMIM had announced its support for the Grand Alliance candidate on Sunday.
In the NDA camp, candidates include Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) President Nitish Kumar, BJP National President Nitin Nabin, Ramnath Thakur, Shivesh Kumar, and former minister and National Lok Morcha leader Upendra Kushwaha. The RJD has fielded Amarendra Dhari Singh as its candidate.
The current Rajya Sabha members whose terms are set to expire in April include Amarendra Dhari Singh, Premchand Gupta, Ramnath Thakur, Upendra Kushwaha, and Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh. Notably, a candidate needs the support of 41 legislators to secure a win in the 243-member Bihar Assembly.
Currently, the NDA holds 202 seats, allowing it to easily secure four seats. However, to claim a fifth seat, they will require additional support from other legislators. On the opposing side, the Grand Alliance, led by the RJD, has a total of 35 legislators and will also need support from others to win a seat.
The BSP has one legislator, and AIMIM has five, which could potentially bring their total to 41, the number required for victory. Both alliances are asserting their claims of success. The counting of votes will take place in the evening. Meanwhile, the Grand Alliance has been mobilizing its legislators since Sunday.
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