RJD on Friday released a list of its four MLC candidates for the biennial election to the state legislative council and also renominated Bihar's for mer chief minister Rabri Devi for another term.
The election to state legislative council is scheduled to be held on March 21.
Three other RJD candi dates are former minister Ab dul Bari Siddiqui, party na- tional general secretary Syed Faisal Ali and former head of women's wing Urmila Thakur. Ali contested the last Lok Sabha election from the Sheohar constituency on the party ticket.
Meanwhile, CPI-ML leader Shashi Yadav has been made joint candidate of the grand alliance. Sitting Congress MLC Prem Chandra Mishra, however, could not be renom inated to the upper house of the state legislature as his party decided to support CPI ML candidate. State RJD president Jagdanand Singh was also expected to get an MLC ticket but he is also not in the fray.
On Congress not getting an MLC ticket, JD-U spokesperson Abhishek Jha accused RJD top leadership of deny ing the ticket to the grand old party in the MLC election de liberately
"On the one hand, RJD chief Lalu Yadav projects Rahul Gandhi as prime min isterial candidate but he is not ready to give even an MLC ticket to the party In such a situation, one can guess how many seats RJD will give to Congress in the Lok Sabha election," Jha remarked.
In the recent Rajya Sabha election, RJD supported the candidature of state Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh, ensuring his victory.
The last date of nomination for the MLC elec tion is March 11. To win a seat in the legislative council, votes of 21 MLAs are needed. Going by the numerical strength of political parties in the assembly, NDA can win maximum six seats while grand alliance five seats.
Bihar Chief Minister Ni tish Kumar and JD-U MLC Khalid Anwar have already filed their nominations, Hindustani Awam Morcha presi dent and minister Santosh Kumar Suman also filed his nomination. BJP which will field three candidates is yet to announce its names.
It is believed both NDA and grand alliance will not force a contest and only 11 candidates will file their pa pers for as many seats. In this case, all 11 candidates will be elected unopposed on March 14, the last date for withdraw al of candidates.
