A few days after BJP nominated Sushil Modi as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat won by the late Ram Vilas Paswan, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) Chief Chirag Paswan broke his silence on the issue. He said that the decision to nominate a candidate for the seat is the prerogative of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
“The seat belonged to the BJP and it is for the party to decide which candidate from which party to field in the by-election,” Chirag told reporters at a function held to celebrate his party’s 20th foundation day.
Earlier, the LJP had staked claim to the seat held by its late leader Ram Vilas Paswan.
Paswan was elected to the Rajya Sabha from this seat in 2019 after BJP leader and Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad won from Patna Sahib in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. After Paswan's demise, the LJP had been demanding to nominate his wife Reena Paswan to the Rajya Sabha from the seat.
Looking at the current scenario, Sushil Modi is all set to win the seat if the Mahagathbandhan or the Grand alliance does not field a candidate against him. If there is a challenge from the opposition, polling will take place on 14 December.
According to reports, the RJD is contemplating to nominate RJD state President Jagdanand Singh or senior party leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui for the Rajya Sabha seat.
Meanwhile, Chirag Paswan while addressing the party workers at Patna urged them to get ready for fresh assembly elections soon. Paswan said he foresees “fresh elections taking place any time in Bihar, given the way the new government is functioning”.
