The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured a clean sweep in the Bihar Rajya Sabha elections held on Monday, winning all five seats with a well-planned voting strategy. The alliance’s victory was further eased by the absence of four opposition legislators, which reduced their effective strength during the crucial voting process.
Among the NDA winners are Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, who is set to enter the Rajya Sabha, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, Union minister Ram Nath Thakur, BJP leader Shivesh Kumar, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) chief Upendra Kushwaha. The NDA ensured full participation from its 202 legislators, completing its voting well before the deadline.
In contrast, the opposition camp saw four absentees — three from the Congress and one from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) — bringing their total down to 37 and weakening their position in the contest. The outcome eventually hinged on second preference votes, as neither side initially secured the required majority.
Shivesh Kumar clinched victory in the second preference round, securing 4,002 votes against the required 3,099. While opposition leaders claimed their candidate had more first preference votes, both sides initially fell short of the winning mark.
The results underline the NDA’s strategic planning and coordination, which ultimately ensured a decisive victory despite a closely contested electoral arithmetic.