Patna: Uncertainty continues over whether Upendra Kushwaha will return to the Rajya Sabha, with the leader of his party saying the matter will be resolved collectively by allies of the governing coalition. The chief of Rashtriya Lok Morcha avoided direct comment on his own candidacy but insisted that all constituents of the governing bloc would decide the nominees for the upper house.
He also claimed that the coalition — the National Democratic Alliance — would secure all five Rajya Sabha seats up for election in Bihar next month. One of those seats currently belongs to Kushwaha, adding to speculation about whether he will be renominated.
Speaking to reporters in Patna on Saturday, Kushwaha reiterated that decisions regarding Rajya Sabha nominations would be taken by the alliance as a whole. “The NDA will decide who goes to the Rajya Sabha and who does not,” he said. Earlier speculation had suggested that Reena Paswan, the mother of Union minister Chirag Paswan, might be fielded for the seat. However, Paswan publicly dismissed those rumours on Friday.
Political calculations suggest that the governing coalition’s dominant position in the state legislature would guarantee it at least four of the five Rajya Sabha seats. Two of those are expected to go to members of the Janata Dal (United), while the remaining two would be allocated to the Bharatiya Janata Party. Reports in political circles indicate that the BJP’s national president, Nitin Naveen, could be nominated for one seat, while Kushwaha might be offered another term. Other potential candidates include the Bhojpuri actor-turned-politician Pawan Singh, whose name is circulating within the party.
Even so, Kushwaha’s prospects remain uncertain. NDA leaders in Bihar have claimed they can also secure the fifth seat, though doing so would require support from additional legislators beyond their current numbers. The opposition alliance, led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal, is considering fielding a candidate of its own, but would need backing from smaller parties and independents — including the bloc associated with Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen and the Bahujan Samaj Party — to mount a viable challenge.
If the opposition does not contest the election, all five NDA candidates would be returned unopposed. However, Owaisi’s party, which holds five seats in the state assembly, announced its own nominee two days ago, heightening political activity and raising the possibility of a contested vote. The outcome remains unclear, leaving Kushwaha’s political future in the upper house hanging in the balance.
