Patna, Feb 24 (IANS) A tussle has surfaced within the Opposition alliance in Bihar over the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections for five seats, exposing visible cracks among the partners even before candidate names are finalised.
On Monday, RJD MLA Bhai Virendra advocated for Hena Shahab as a Grand Alliance candidate for the Rajya Sabha
Reacting to his statement, Akhtarul Iman, the state president and MLA of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) expressed anger when asked whether the AIMIM would support an RJD candidate.
He countered by saying that this time the RJD should support the AIMIM instead.
“Why should we support the RJD? This time, they should support us,” Akhtarul Iman said, while also accusing the media of bias.
Akhtarul Iman pointed out that AIMIM has no representation in the Rajya Sabha so far and indicated that the party may even consider fielding a Dalit candidate.
His remarks underline the AIMIM’s intent to negotiate hard within the Opposition Bloc.
Bhai Virendra on Tuesday once again openly pitched for sending a Muslim representative from the RJD quota to the Upper House, suggesting the name of Hena Shahab, wife of former MP Mohammad Shahabuddin.
Reiterating his stance, Bhai Virendra said that in his personal opinion, a minority candidate — specifically Hena Shahab — should be nominated this time.
“Even today, I am giving my personal opinion that only a minority name should go to the Rajya Sabha, and that Hena Shahab should be the candidate,” Bhai Virendra said.
To win one Rajya Sabha seat, a candidate needs the support of 41 MLAs.
The NDA, with 202 MLAs, is comfortably placed to win four out of five seats.
The Opposition’s Grand Alliance, on the other hand, has 35 MLAs, making it impossible to secure a seat without the AIMIM’s backing.
If the five AIMIM MLAs and one BSP MLA come together with the Grand Alliance, the Opposition could still manage to win the fifth seat, making AIMIM a decisive player.
While the RJD has not officially announced any candidate, Bhai Virendra — who proposed Hena Shahab’s name — is considered close to Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav, which has added political weight to the suggestion.
Hena Shahab’s late husband, Mohammad Shahabuddin, continues to hold influence among sections of the Muslim community. Their son, Osama Shahab, is currently an RJD MLA from Raghunathpur in Siwan.
Meanwhile, NDA allies have also begun pressing their claims.
After the parties led by Upendra Kushwaha, the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) has staked its claim for a Rajya Sabha seat.
Party patron and Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said that the NDA leadership had earlier assured HAM of two Lok Sabha seats and one Rajya Sabha seat.
“We were told we would be given two Lok Sabha and one Rajya Sabha seat. We will wait and see. I don’t think our leadership will go back on its word,” Manjhi said.
With alliances under strain and negotiations intensifying, the battle for the fifth Rajya Sabha seat in Bihar is shaping up to be as much about political arithmetic as it is about unity within rival camps.
–IANS
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