PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United), a major ally of BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), is expected to announce names of its candidates for all the Lok Sabha seats on Sunday.
Sources claimed that JD(U) has finalised its candidates on almost all 16 seats. It is expected that the party would re-nominate the majority of its sitting MPs.
However, three sitting MPs, including Mahabali Singh from Karakat and Kavita Singh from Siwan, are expected to be dropped this time.
Former MP Anand Mohan’s wife Lovely Anand is likely to be fielded from Sheohar Lok Sabha constituency, currently being held by the BJP. The seat has gone to JD(U) under the seat-sharing formula among constituents of the NDA. Under the seat-sharing arrangement among constituents of NDA, BJP was given maximum 17 seats followed by JD(U)16 seats, LJP (Ram Vilas) five seats and Hindustani Awam Morcha and Rashtriya Lok Morcha one seat each.
Meanwhile, JD(U) on Saturday gave a rude shock to its NDA partner Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) led by former union minister Upendra Kushwaha by re-inducting president of its Bihar unit Ramesh Kushwaha. Ramesh Kushwaha’s wife Vijay Lakshmi also joined the party in presence of senior JD(U) leader and state finance minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Kumar Jha, state party president Umesh Kushwaha among others.
Sources claimed that JD(U) might field Vijay Lakshmi from Siwan Lok Sabha seat, which is being represented by Kavita Singh. It was like a homecoming for Ramesh Kushwwaha who was a JD(U) MLA from 2015 to 2020.
In the 2020 state assembly election, he wanted a party ticket for his wife but he left the party when his demand was not conceded.
Replying to a media query whether re-inducting Kushwaha would not weaken an alliance partner, senior JD(U) minister Chaudhary vehemently denied it and contended that there was nothing like weakening any party as Kushwaha was taken back into the JD(U) with an objective to strengthen NDA only.
Former MLA Ramesh Singh Kushwaha returns to party
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) on Saturday re-inducted former MLA Ramesh Singh Kushwaha, who had quit the party a few years ago and joined fellow NDA partner Rashtriya Lok Morcha headed by ex-Union minister Upendra Kushwaha. The induction of the former MLA, who had represented the Ziradei seat in Siwan district, along with his wife Vijay Laxmi, was announced before the press at the JD(U) office. Welcoming the couple into the party, its national general secretary Sanjay Kumar Jha said the couple had met the chief minister.
