Patna, March 4 (IANS) With just a day left for filing nominations for the Rajya Sabha elections, the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) has not yet announced its candidates, fuelling speculation in political circles in Bihar.
Senior JD-U leader Vijay Kumar Choudhary, said in Patna on Wednesday evening that the names would be finalised on Thursday.
“Nitish Kumar is the (Bihar) Chief Minister, and he will decide the name of the candidate. His decision will be final. He is the supreme leader of JD-U, and we will accept his decision,” Choudhary said while interacting with the media.
Responding to questions about Nishant Kumar formally joining the party, Choudhary indicated that discussions were at an advanced stage.
“All workers and leaders want Nishant Kumar to join the party. He is young and has good leadership skills. He is already associated with JD-U; it is just a technical formality for him to join officially,” he said, urging patience for the final announcement.
Speculation is rife that Nishant Kumar, son of Nitish Kumar, could be nominated to the Rajya Sabha.
Party workers have long advocated his entry into active politics.
Political observers also suggest that if Nishant Kumar does not enter the Upper House, Nitish Kumar himself could seek a Rajya Sabha berth, potentially paving the way for a larger national role.
Some discussions even hint at Nishant Kumar being groomed for a leadership role in Bihar politics.
Elections are scheduled for five Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar.
Within the NDA, the situation appears largely clear.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has already announced Nitin Nabin and Shivesh Kumar Ram as its candidates.
Meanwhile, Upendra Kushwaha of the Rashtriya Lok Morcha has been named as the NDA’s fifth candidate.
The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), despite having 19 MLAs, has not secured a seat this time, reportedly causing some dissatisfaction within sections of the alliance.
On the Opposition side, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav is expected to announce his party’s candidate on March 5.
–IANS
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