PATNA: Bihar’s opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) may field former chief minister Rabri Devi and former minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui for the biennial election to the state legislative council scheduled to be held on March 21, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

The RJD is expected to field three of the five candidates that the opposition’s Grand Alliance coalition can win out of the 11 seats that will be up for grabs. The last date of nomination is March 11.

RJD currently has two of the 11 seats, Rabri Devi and Ram Chandra Purve, that are falling vacant in May.

In the eventuality that Jagdanand Singh is not interested in going to the legislative council, the party is expected to select a nominee from backward or extremely backward classes (EBCs), the party leader cited above said.

Asked about the buzz around his name, Siddiqui said would do as told by the party. “Whatever the party says, I will do. I cannot comment on it further,” he said.

There is, however, no clarity on the nominee from the Congress for the one seat currently held by Prem Chandra Mishra.

The BJP has not announced its candidates for the three seats. The term of three party MLCs, Mangal Pandey, Sanjay Paswan and Syed Shahnawaz Hussain is expiring this May, for which the elections are due.

It is widely expected that the NDA and opposition GA will not force a fight and only 11 candidates will file their nomination papers for the 11 seats. In this case, the 11 candidates will be elected uncontested on March 14, the last date for withdrawal of candidates.

Source: Hindustan Times