PATNA: Two newly elected Independent MLCs, Banshidhar Brajwasi and Rahul Raj, on Saturday announced their support for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Bihar, strengthening its position in the state Legislative Council. However, they have not formally joined the BJP.
Brajwasi, re-elected from the Tirhut Graduates’ constituency for a second consecutive term, and Rahul, elected from the Saran Teachers’ constituency for the first time, had defeated JD(U) candidates in the recent Legislative Council elections.
They attended the BJP legislative party meeting chaired by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary at the party’s state headquarters on Saturday and declared their support for the government in the Upper House.
Rahul had contested as an Independent after defying the NDA’s decision to field JD(U)’s Anand Pushkar from the Saran Teachers’ seat. The BJP subsequently expelled him for six years. He defeated Pushkar by 1,815 votes.
The two MLCs first attended a meeting with newly appointed Bihar BJP in-charge Harish Dwivedi, who arrived in Patna on Saturday. State BJP president Sanjay Saraogi and other senior leaders were also present.
Rahul had earlier met Choudhary at his residence in the presence of BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy. Brajwasi had met the Chief Minister on Thursday evening.
Meanwhile, discontent within the NDA surfaced after JD(U) candidate Abhishek Jha lost the Tirhut Graduates’ seat to Brajwasi by 9,147 votes. JD(U) MP Devesh Chandra Thakur alleged that leaders of alliance partners had not sincerely supported Jha.
In a post on X, Jha claimed that nearly 4,700 votes were invalidated because voters had marked a tick against his name on the ballot papers. He said he could have won comfortably if those votes had been counted.
Comparing himself to Abhimanyu, the Mahabharata warrior trapped in a Chakravyuh, Jha wondered whether members of his own political family, an apparent reference to the NDA, had isolated him. He did not name anyone.
Backing Jha, Thakur said several NDA leaders had not wholeheartedly supported the JD(U) candidate, alleging that their rivalry was directed at him rather than Jha.
"They found Devesh Thakur standing before them, not Abhishek Jha," he said, alleging that some leaders were uncomfortable with his growing political prominence.
