Lalu Prasad Yadav’s aide candidate for lone Legislative Council seat

JD(U) has decided to give its seat in the Bihar Legislative Council to its alliance partner RJD, which is set to nominate Bhola Yadav, a close aide of Lalu Prasad, for the lone vacancy in the Upper House.

“After discussion with leaders of alliance parties it has been decided that Bhola Yadav will be joint candidate of the alliance for the lone Council seat,” Bihar RJD President Ramchandra Purbey said today.
Bhola Yadav, close to Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, told PTI that he would file his nomination papers tomorrow.

Though JD(U) has 119 MLAs in Assembly in comparison to 24 of Lalu Prasad, it decided to give the seat to RJD as part of its efforts to enhance bonhomie between the partners ahead of the crucial Assembly poll next year, a JD(U) legislator said.

JD(U) MLC and its whip in the Council Neeraj Kumar said, “RJD had helped us in winning two seats in bypoll for Rajya Sabha so we are also accommodating our partner.” The seat fell vacant following resignation of Ghulam Gauss, who had crossed over to JD(U) from RJD on the eve of Lok Sabha poll and had contested unsuccessfully from Madhubani.

Gauss told PTI the decision to field Bhola Yadav on the seat has been taken for better future of the “nascent alliance” which came up on the eve of the bye-election for 10 seats in the assembly recently.
Asked if he was peeved at the denial of renomination for the seat despite the JD(U) having maximum strength of MLAs, Gauss said “In an alliance, every party has to accommodate other partners.”

Election for the lone seat of Bihar Legislative Council is slated for September 11.

Secretary Legislative Assembly Hareram Mukhiya, who is the Returning Officer, said notification for election on the single seat of Council was issued on August 25.

September 1 is the last date for filing nomination, he said.