Bihar Council polls: JD-U fields old guards on two seats, BJP yet to name nominees

The ruling Janata Dal (United) on Tuesday announced the names of its two candidates for the Bihar Legislative Council elections to be held for seven seats in the state on June 20.

The ruling Janata Dal (United) on Tuesday announced the names of its two candidates for the Bihar Legislative Council elections to be held for seven seats in the state on June 20.

Bihar JD (U) chief Umesh Singh Kushwaha (right) announces the names of its two party candidates for the MLC elections in Patna on Tuesday. (Santosh Kumar/HT Photo)

Like in the recent nominations for the Rajya Sabha seats, chief minister Nitish Kumar, who is the de facto supremo of the JD(U), has chosen to reward dedicated workers involved with the party for a long time — national general secretary Afaque Ahamd, who has been involved with the Delhi unit of the party, and national secretary Ravindra Prasad Singh, who has been associated with the party since its erstwhile Janata Party days.

Both will go to the Bihar Legislative Council for the first time.

Afaque Ahmad is a resident of Gaya, but has mostly remained in Delhi to handle party activities. He also worked for the party in Manipur and other states. He said that by picking him, the party had given message to workers down the line that there was reward for everyone who has toiled for the organisation.

“In our party, there may be delay, but there is no denial. JD(U) gives respect to its workers. I am grateful to Nitish Kumar and all the leaders for giving me the opportunity,” said Singh.

Of the seven Council seats going to vote on June 20, five are held by JD(U). The five JD(U) members whose Council term expires next month are — Gulam Rasool, Rannvijay Kumar Singh, Rohini Nazis, CP Sinha, and Qamar Alam.

Meanwhile, the Bhartiya Janata Dal (BJP), the lead constituent of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), said its candidates for two seats it’s staking claim to would file their nomination at 11 am on Thursday. “The names will be announced before that. We can recommend a panel of names, but a final decision has to be taken at the higher level,” BJP’s state unit president Dr Sanjay Jaiswal said.