Patna: Senior leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), including Bihar chief minister Samrat Choudhary, gathered in Patna as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Arvind Sharma filed his nomination for the Bihar Legislative Council by-election, in what party leaders described as a clear signal of confidence ahead of the vote.
The show of strength saw the presence of deputy chief minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary along with leaders from other NDA constituent parties, projecting a united front as the alliance moves into the bypoll.
The seat fell vacant after Mangal Pandey resigned from the council following his election to the Bihar legislative assembly, triggering the need for a fresh contest.
Sharma, a long-time party functionary, has been associated with the BJP organisation for nearly four decades and currently serves as the party’s headquarters in-charge. Within the party, he is regarded as an organisational strategist with significant influence.
He is also seen as a close associate of Choudhary and is believed to share strong working relationships with senior leaders, including state BJP president Nitin Nabin and union minister Giriraj Singh.
The deadline for filing nominations is April 30, with voting scheduled for May 12. Counting will take place the same day. Given the current arithmetic in the council and the backing of the ruling alliance, Sharma is widely expected to secure the seat, with the possibility of being elected unopposed.
