The Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for March 16 have taken a dramatic turn in Bihar, where Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has announced its decision to field a candidate. This move delivers a significant blow to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), already navigating a tight contest for the state’s five vacant seats.
Bihar’s upper house representation stands at 16 seats, with five opening up due to retirements. Among those stepping down are JD(U)’s Harivansh Narayan Singh and Ram Nath Thakur, RJD’s Prem Chand Gupta and Amarendra Dhari Singh, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha’s Upendra Kushwaha. The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) appears poised to secure four seats comfortably, given their overwhelming majority in the assembly.
The opposition Grand Alliance, comprising RJD, Congress, and three Left parties, holds 35 MLAs—25 from RJD, six from Congress, two from CPI(ML) Liberation, and one each from CPI and Indian Inclusive Party. Securing the fifth seat requires 41 first-preference votes. Without external support, their path looks precarious.
AIMIM’s five MLAs and the BSP’s single MLA could tip the scales if aligned with the Grand Alliance. However, AIMIM’s independent candidacy changes the equation entirely. Party’s Bihar president Akhtarul Iman declared their intent to contest, urging opposition parties including RJD for support—a request echoing past tensions.
Flashback to 2020 Bihar assembly elections: AIMIM representatives approached Lalu Prasad Yadav for an alliance, only to face rejection. What followed was a bitter campaign, with AIMIM clinching five seats while RJD secured 25. RJD insiders reveal plans to renominate Amarendra Dhari Singh, but Owaisi’s gambit threatens to fragment opposition votes.
As polling day nears, Bihar’s political landscape braces for intensified lobbying. AIMIM’s entry not only challenges RJD’s arithmetic but also signals deepening fissures within the opposition bloc. Will cooler heads prevail, or will this escalate into a full-blown rivalry? The coming days will tell.