RS elections: Kushwaha reminds BJP of ‘promise’

Patna: Amid uncertainty over his political future, Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) president and Rajya Sabha member Upendra Kushwaha on Saturday reminded the BJP of the “promise” made to him in the past. While declining to divulge details, he described it as an internal matter of the NDA. Intense lobbying for seats began in Bihar after the Election Commission announced the schedule for Rajya Sabha polls on Thursday with five vacancies set to arise from the state and the NDA having the numerical strength to secure almost all of them.

Although the NDA is yet to finalise the names of candidates who will represent the Upper House of Parliament, subtle efforts are under way by leaders to stake their claims. In a curious turn, Kushwaha, whose tenure is set to expire in April this year, subtly pressed his claim for a Rajya Sabha berth, recalling the discussions he had with the BJP, apparently during the seat-sharing arrangement ahead of the recently concluded Bihar assembly polls. The RLM won four of the six seats allotted to it under the agreement.


“Although it’s an internal matter of the NDA, it must be explained for what reasons I was promised the Rajya Sabha berth,” Kushwaha said on Saturday when asked whether he would return to the Upper House. When specifically asked if he aspired to be nominated again, he said, “Aapse ham puchhen ki jis sanstha me kaam kar rahe hain uske head banne ki ichha hai (Should I ask you if you wish to become the head of the organisation you are working for)?” He added that the matter would be decided collectively.

Even as the RLM chief kept everyone guessing about his “next action”, the party’s state spokesperson Ram Pukar Sinha said, “We have a genuine claim for the RS seat and Kushwaha should be re-elected to the Rajya Sabha.” Stating that the RLM is part of the NDA, Sinha said, “During the seat-sharing deal for the 2025 assembly elections, it was agreed with the BJP that our party would get one Rajya Sabha and one legislative council berth.”

“On the basis of this condition, our leader Upendra Kushwaha should be sent to the Rajya Sabha this time also,” he said.

A total of five vacancies from Bihar will arise in the Rajya Sabha in April this year following the retirement of members. Those retiring include Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson Harivansh Narayan Singh, union minister Ram Nath Thakur (JD-U), former union minister Upendra Kushwaha (RLM), Prem Chand Gupta and Amarendra Dhari Singh, the latter two belonging to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Given the RJD’s numerical strength in the state assembly, the victory of any RJD nominee appears uncertain, while NDA leaders have consistently claimed they would win all five seats, citing support from some opposition members as well.