PATNA: Amid buzz over Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar moving to the Rajya Sabha, Union home minister Amit Shah is arriving in Patna on Thursday. He is expected to be present for the filing of nominations by BJP nominees, including national president Nitin Nabin, for the Rajya Sabha biennial elections.
Besides Nitin Nabin, Shivesh Kumar of the BJP and former Union minister and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) Upendra Kushawaha are the three NDA candidates declared so far for the upcoming elections. The JD(U) led by Nitish is yet to declare the names of its two candidates. March 5 is the last date for the filing of nominations for the polls.
On Wednesday, top JD(U) leaders held closed door meetings to discuss the issue. Party national working president Sanjay Kumar Jha and senior JD(U) minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary were among the prominent leaders present at the meeting. Nitish is likely to file his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha elections on Thursday.
Sources in the JD(U) said that Ram Nath Thakur, whose Rajya Sabha tenure is to end in April, is likely to retain his seat. Nitish’s close confidant Vijay Kumar Chaudhary said, “Wait for the next few hours. Everything will be clear. As Nitish ji is our leader, it is up to him to decide whether he wants to go to the Upper House of parliament.”
Initially, there was intense speculation that Nitish’s son Nishant Kumar will file his nomination for the Rajya Sabha polls from the JD(U) quota. Later, rumours spread that Nishant may instead be inducted as deputy chief minister in the new cabinet formed after the resignation of Nitish from the CM’s post.
However, Union minister Giriraj Singh dismissed reports that Nitish might resign from the CM’s post and move to the Upper House of parliament. “Today is Holi. Such pranks are common on the occasion. Nitish ji is the chief minister,” he told the media.