The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has decided to send Manoj Kumar Jha and Sanjay Yadav to the Rajya Sabha. Their names were announced, prompting JDU to mock Sanjay Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav’s private secretary. JDU spokesperson Neeraj Kumar stated that while Lalu Yadav fostered a 'Brother-in-law Regime,' his son now runs a Private Secretary Regime, leaving seasoned RJD leaders bewildered.
Neeraj Kumar commented on the generational politics of RJD, highlighting Lalu Prasad Yadav’s past actions and his son’s continuation. He criticized the preference of Haryana's political breed over Bihar’s dedicated workers, leaving renowned leaders like Shyam Rajak, Uday Narayan Choudhary, Abdul Waris Siddiqui, and Shivanand Tiwari sidelined.
'Trust Placed in Personal Aides Becomes Evident'
Neeraj highlighted that despite advocating for minorities, Dalits, backward, and extremely backward communities, trust was evidently placed in Haryana's political breed and personal aides. This reflects the DNA of their political strategy, sidelining grassroots political activists.
According to an RJD statement, party president Lalu Prasad finalized the candidacy of both individuals. For Manoj Jha, it will be a consecutive second term in the Rajya Sabha, while Tejashwi Yadav’s close associate, Sanjay Yadav, heads to the Upper House for the first time.
'Today Is the Last Day for Nomination by Manoj and Sanjay'
Today marks the final day for Rajya Sabha election nominations. Manoj Jha and Sanjay Yadav will file from RJD's side. Earlier, four candidates filed their nominations: Bhim Singh and Dharmshila Gupta from BJP, Sanjay Jha from JDU, and Akhilesh Prasad Singh from Congress. Bihar has six seats contested, and suspense persists over a seventh candidate. If this seventh enters, it may add complexities for the third Mahagathbandhan candidate.
Also Read: Manoj Jha and Tejashwi’s Close Aides Head to Rajya Sabha as RJD Finalizes Names
Elections in 56 Seats Across 15 States
Among the 56 seats being contested across 15 states, besides Bihar’s six, Gujarat and Karnataka have four each, Maharashtra six, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh five each, Uttar Pradesh ten, Rajasthan, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh each three, and one each in Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
Election Commission Releases Schedule
The election commission's schedule details that notifications for elections across 15 states' 56 seats will be issued on February 8. The last date for nomination is February 15, with scrutiny on February 16. Candidates can withdraw till February 20. Voting will occur on February 27 until 4 PM, with the counting starting at 5 PM on the same day.
