Patna: Rashtriya Lok Morcha President Upendra Kushwaha and Manan Kumar Mishra have been elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha following the withdrawal deadline for nominations on Tuesday. With no other candidates filing nominations for the Rajya Sabha by-election, both Kushwaha and Mishra were declared winners and awarded certificates of victory by the Assembly Secretary after the withdrawal period concluded.
Kushwaha will serve a two-year term, while Mishra’s tenure will extend to four years. The seats were vacated after RJD leader Misa Bharti and BJP leader Vivek Thakur won their respective Lok Sabha seats. The latest results bolster the NDA’s representation in the Rajya Sabha from Bihar, now holding 10 of the 16 available seats.
Supporters of Upendra Kushwaha gathered at the assembly premises to celebrate his victory. Kushwaha, after receiving his certificate, exited his vehicle to greet and acknowledge the crowd, who chanted slogans in his favour.
In response to media queries, Kushwaha expressed gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. He stated, “We will continue to address issues related to education, health, and employment in the House, as we have done before. I will strongly advocate for the rights of the underprivileged, backward, and economically weaker sections of the general caste.”
Manan Mishra, addressing the press, affirmed his commitment to working under the guidance of the central leadership. “There is nothing inherently wrong with the collegium system, but it requires some reforms. I aim to work towards these improvements in collaboration with the judiciary and the government,” he remarked.
Mishra also highlighted the significance of his new role, emphasizing his responsibility to ensure effective coordination between the government and the judiciary. Looking ahead to the upcoming assembly elections, he voiced confidence in a favourable outcome for the BJP, stating, “Those who were previously misled by the Congress have now come to realize the truth.”
