According to sources in AIMIM, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has contacted the party seeking support in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. In return, AIMIM has reportedly demanded one seat in the Legislative Council for its party. However, the RJD has not yet given any response regarding this demand.
Earlier, AIMIM’s state president Akhtarul Iman had said in an interview with India TV that if the RJD does not come forward for talks, their party will not participate in the voting.
He also stated that the RJD candidate can win only if it receives support from AIMIM’s five MLAs along with one MLA from the BSP.
Six candidates in race for five Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar
The contest for five Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar has intensified, with six candidates remaining in the race after the deadline for withdrawing nominations passed on Monday. Officials confirmed that none of the nominees chose to withdraw their papers, setting the stage for a competitive election scheduled next week.
According to Bihar Vidhan Sabha Secretary Khyati Singh, all six candidates will now face the election. The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has fielded five candidates, while the Opposition has put forward one nominee.
Among the prominent contenders are Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Bihar BJP president Nitin Nabin. Both leaders submitted their nomination papers on March 5 in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The NDA’s candidate list also includes Union Minister Ram Nath Thakur, who is seeking a third consecutive term in the Upper House, Rashtriya Lok Morcha chief Upendra Kushwaha aiming for another term, and BJP state general secretary Shivesh Kumar, who is hoping to enter Parliament for the first time.
Nitish Kumar recently announced his decision to move to the Rajya Sabha, effectively ending his nearly two-decade-long stint as Bihar’s Chief Minister — the longest tenure for the post in the state.
The Opposition has fielded Amarendra Dhari Singh of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), a businessman-turned-politician who is currently a Member of Parliament.
Earlier, the RJD held two of the five seats that are now due for election. However, after its poor performance in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections — where it secured only 25 seats — the party decided to contest just one seat. As a result, it dropped senior leader and former Union minister Prem Chand Gupta from the race.
The ruling NDA currently enjoys a strong majority in the 243-member Bihar Assembly with 202 MLAs. However, the alliance still falls three votes short of the number required to comfortably secure all five Rajya Sabha seats.
Meanwhile, the RJD is supported by around 10 MLAs from other parties within the Mahagathbandhan alliance. The role of AIMIM will be crucial in this election.
