Tejashwi's Mahagathbandhan to woo Chirag Paswan for fight against Sushil Modi in RS polls?

Bihar's Mahagathbandhan-led by Tejashwi Yadav is likely to contest the Rajya Sabha seat which has fallen vacant upon the death of former Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan. RJD had on Saturday indicated that it was not willing to give a
walkover to the NDA.

In a statement, party spokesperson Shakti Yadav had said "the BJP has acted out of spite ('khunnas') by denying
the seat to the LJP. Had the late Ram Vilas Paswan's party been allowed to contest, we would have considered supporting their candidate even though his party is not our alliance partner". Meanwhile, news agency PTI quoting sources in the Grand Alliance said that feelers have been sent to Chirag Paswan that he may consider fielding his mother Reena Paswan from the seat, assuring him of its "full support". The opposition coalition also hopes to bring Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM which has five MLAs on board for the Rajya Sabha polls.

READ | BJP Fields Sushil Modi As Its Candidate For RS By-election Post Exit From Bihar Cabinet

Sushil Modi nominated to Rajya Sabha

On November 27, BJP fielded former Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Modi as its candidate for the by-election to a Rajya Sabha seat from the state. While the last date of filing the nominations is December 3, they will be scrutinized on December 4. The election shall take place from 9 am- 4 pm on December 14, with the counting of votes scheduled to commence at 5 pm on the same day. If he is elected to the Upper House of the Parliament, Sushil Modi's term will last until April 2, 2024.

READ | Congress MLA in Bihar takes oath in Sanskrit, calls it a message to BJP and AIMIM

Chirag Paswan reacts

LJP president Chirag Paswan responded on the development. He said on Saturday that it was the BJP's prerogative to announce a candidate for the Bihar Rajya Sabha election. The seat had fallen vacant following the death of Chirag Paswan's father and Lok Janshakti Party founder Ram Vilas Paswan. Ram Vilas Paswan had been elected from the seat last year after it fell vacant following his cabinet colleague Ravi Shankar Prasad's election to the Lok Sabha from Patna Sahib.

Chirag Paswan, during the Bihar assembly election campaign, had attacked Sushil Modi as well as CM Nitish Kumar stating that they have betrayed the people of the state. He was even slammed by Sushil Modi for saying that he is with BJP but is against JDU. While there were rumours that Paswan's mother could be nominated from the seat, BJP's choice clarified the fate of Sushil Modi who was removed from being second-in-command in Bihar. 

READ | Chirag Paswan congratulates Nitish Kumar, hopes he 'completes his tenure' in NDA

READ | 'We shouldn't let our party become weak ever,' says Sushil Modi as he lauds BJP