The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won all five seats in the biennial Rajya Sabha elections from Bihar on Monday after several opposition legislators skipped voting, allowing the ruling alliance to secure a clean sweep. The ruling alliance’s candidates, Nitish Kumar, Nitin Nabin, Ram Nath Thakur, Upendra Kushwaha, and Shivesh Ram were all elected to the Upper House of Parliament.
According to the reports, all 202 MLAs belonging to the NDA participated in the polling process, while 37 MLAs from the Mahagathbandhan took part in the polling. However, four opposition MLAs — Congress legislators Manoj Biswas, Surendra Kushwaha and Manohar Prasad Singh, along with Rashtriya Janata Dal MLA Faisal Rahman — were absent during the voting.
Bihar Congress President Rajesh Ram alleged that the BJP had abducted three Congress MLAs and placed them under house arrest. He said the legislators had been in contact with the party leadership until March 13 despite the BJP being in power in the state.
Reacting to the victory, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary congratulated Nitin Nabin, praising his leadership and organizational abilities.
Speaking on the Rajya Sabha elections, Another Deputy Chief Minister, Vijay Kumar Sinhasaid, "Today, the true conduct of the RJD and Congress has been exposed. Their very own MLAs refused to cast their votes. First, the public refused to vote for them.”