In a major political development in Bihar, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured a sweeping victory in the Rajya Sabha elections, winning all five seats and dealing a significant blow to the opposition Mahagathbandhan.
All NDA candidates were declared elected, including Nitish Kumar, Nitin Naveen, Ramnath Thakur, Upendra Kushwaha, and Shivesh Ram. Meanwhile, Mahagathbandhan candidate Amrendra Singh Dhari lost the contest.
Voting for the Rajya Sabha elections took place in the Bihar Legislative Assembly from 9 AM to 4 PM, where a total of 243 MLAs were expected to cast their votes. All 202 NDA MLAs voted, while only 37 votes were recorded for the opposition.
A major setback for the Mahagathbandhan came as four of its MLAs remained absent during voting, weakening its electoral strategy and benefiting the NDA significantly. Among those absent were RJD MLA Faisal Rahman and three Congress MLAs—Manohar Prasad, Surendra Prasad Kushwaha, and Manoj Vishwas.
The absence of these MLAs became a key talking point throughout the day. Despite repeated attempts by opposition leaders, including Tejashwi Yadav, to contact them, they failed to arrive before the voting deadline.
In terms of vote count, Nitish Kumar and Nitin Naveen received 44 votes each, while Ramnath Thakur and Upendra Kushwaha secured 42 votes each. Amrendra Singh Dhari managed 37 votes.
While the NDA already held a clear majority in four seats, the fifth seat, contested by Shivesh Ram, was expected to be closely fought. However, the opposition’s weakened position ensured a clean sweep for the NDA.
This victory further strengthens the NDA’s position in Bihar and highlights internal challenges within the opposition alliance.
