JD (U) nominates Anil Hegde for Rajya Sabha by-poll

Hedge, a veteran socialist leader who was a close associate of late former defence minister George Fernandes, is JD (U)’s national election officer

PATNA: Ruling Janata Dal (United) or JD (U) on Monday named Anil Hegde, who is from Karnataka, as its candidate for the by-poll to a vacant Bihar Rajya Sabha seat on May 30. Mahendra Prasad’s death in December necessitated the by-poll.

(PTI)

Hedge, a veteran socialist leader, was a close associate of late former defence minister George Fernandes. He is also JD (U)’s national election officer.

A JD (U) leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the announcement of Hegde’s nomination came as a surprise but it is a reward for a man working silently for the organisation and the party. “The party has recognised his contribution,” said the leader. He indicated that they were expecting the nominee to be from Bihar

The JD (U), an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party, is set to bag the seat in the by-poll but Hedge will have a truncated term of two years until April 2024.