PATNA: Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) won its first Bihar Legislative Council seat on Wednesday, with its candidate Suresh Rai defeating sitting MLC and veteran Congress leader Madan Mohan Jha in the Darbhanga Teachers’ Constituency.
The victory gives JSP its first representative in the Bihar Legislative Council. The party already has a representative in the state Assembly after its founder, Prashant Kishor, won the Bankipur by-election.
The BJP suffered another setback after the Bankipur by-election, losing the Patna Teachers’ Constituency to the Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). BJP-backed candidate Nawal Kishore Yadav lost the seat after representing it for five consecutive terms over 30 years. RJD candidate Dr Sanjeev Kumar Singh won the constituency.
In the Patna Graduates’ Constituency, JD(U) nominee Neeraj Kumar retained the seat by defeating his nearest rival, RJD’s Dilip Patel. The result was a setback for expelled JD(U) MLA from Mokama, Anant Kumar Singh, whose political rival Neeraj Kumar secured victory. JSP candidate Anuj Singh, who received support from Anant Singh during the campaign, finished third.
Neeraj Kumar’s supporters distributed sweets and burst firecrackers outside the counting centre. A day earlier, supporters of Neeraj and Anant Singh had clashed during counting. Police intervened to bring the situation under control, and counting was completed amid tension.
The elections were held for four Graduates’ and four Teachers’ Constituencies. The BJP wrested the Tirhut Teachers’ seat from the CPI, which was backed by the RJD. BJP candidate Narendra Prasad Singh defeated Independent candidate Bhushan Kumar Jha. The seat was earlier represented by Sanjay Singh for two consecutive terms.
In the other constituencies, BJP rebel and Independent candidate Rahul Raj won the Saran Teachers’ seat, while BJP candidate NK Yadav won the Kosi Graduates’ seat. BJP nominee Sarvesh Kumar Singh and Independent candidate Banshidhar Brajwashi won the Tirhut and Darbhanga Graduates’ seats, respectively.
Of the eight seats, the BJP won three, while the JD(U) and RJD secured one each. Independent candidates won the remaining three seats.
All four sitting MLCs from Teachers’ constituencies lost their seats in the elections.
Of the eight newly elected members of the Legislative Council, five belong to the Bhumihar community, one to the Rajput community, one to the Yadav community and one to the Mallah community. There were no winners from the Scheduled Castes or among women.
A total of 150 candidates contested the elections, including 60 from Teachers’ constituencies and 90 from Graduates’ constituencies.