Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, upon returning to Patna from Delhi, visited former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at his residence on 7 Circular Road. The meeting, which lasted over 15 minutes, included discussions on the upcoming Bihar Legislative Council elections. During the interaction, JD(U) National Executive President Sanjay Jha was also present at Nitish Kumar’s residence.
The leaders talked about seat-sharing arrangements for the Legislative Council elections and Choudhary briefed Kumar about his recent meetings in Delhi with NDA alliance leaders. The meeting has gained attention as it followed Kumar’s request to Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary for a government report, sparking political speculation in the state. Discussions also touched on the expected seat distribution among parties in the upcoming elections.
The Bihar Legislative Council is set for elections on 10 seats, with the NDA likely to secure a significant number based on its Assembly strength. Political estimates suggest the BJP may secure four seats, JD(U) three, and one each for parties led by Upendra Kushwaha and Chirag Paswan. There are reports of Kushwaha planning to nominate his son, Deepak Prakash, who currently serves as a minister without legislative membership.
Speculation is also rife about Nitish Kumar’s son, Nishant Kumar, potentially entering the Legislative Council. Nishant Kumar, the Health Minister, is not a member of any legislative house currently. While some candidates are yet to be finalized, observers are interpreting Choudhary’s prompt meeting with Nitish Kumar post his Delhi visit as a significant development ahead of the Council polls.
By-elections for nine vacant seats in the Bihar Legislative Council, along with Nitish Kumar’s vacated seat, are slated for June 18. With the NDA expected to win most seats based on current party strengths, a potential contest could arise if the NDA contests all ten seats. This move could lead to a scenario akin to recent Rajya Sabha elections.
