With the biennial elections for the nine seats of the Bihar Legislative Council are scheduled for July 6, all leading parties, except the Congress, have named their candidates. The Congress has received over 3,000 applications from the prospective candidates for the lone seat.
The BJP on Wednesday named Sanjay Prakash alias Sanjay Mayukh and its State vice-president Samarat Chaudhury for the two seats it contests in alliance with the Janata Dal (United). The JD(U) on Tuesday named Bhism Sahni, Kumud Verma and Ghulam Ghaus. Bhism Sahni, of the Extremely Backward Caste, has been a long-time grass-root worker of the party. Ms. Kumud Verma has a political background in Jehanabad district. Ghulam Ghaus defected to the JD(U) from the RJD in 2014.
The RJD nominees Sunil Singh, Mohd Farooq and Rambali Singh Chandravanshi filed their nominations on Wednesday in presence of party leader Tejashwi Yadav. Earlier, the RJD had authorised its imprisoned president Lalu Prasad to decide on the candidates. On Tuesday, five RJD members had quit the party and joined the JD(U), reducing the party’s strength in the Council from eight to three.
Apparently in view of the Assembly election due in October-November, both the RJD and the JD(U) have given one seat each to a candidate of the minority community. The RJD has also given representation to an upper caste (Mr. Sunil Singh) and the Extremely Backward Caste (Mr. Chandravanshi).
Mr. Mayukh, of the upper Kayastha caste, has been the BJP’s national media co-convener and has been renominated. Mr. Chaudhury is a member of the Other Backward Caste.
However, the Congress, an ally of the RJD, is yet to choose its nominee. The State unit has received over 3,000 applications. However, the central leadership has asked the State unit to suggest only two names.
