Top Bihar leaders see party candidates lose MLC polls from strongholds

Patna, April 7 (IANS) The 2022 Bihar MLC elections saw embarrassment for prominent leaders of the state after their party's candidates lost the polls in their strongholds.

JD-U national President Lalan Singh is seen as being influential in Munger and its adjoining districts, but his party candidate in Munger, Jamui and Lakhisarai MLC constituency Sanjay Prasad lost the election to Ajay Singh of the RJD.

Internal dispute in the NDA is seen behind Prasad's defeat.

Prasad contested the 2020 Assembly elections against independent candidate Sumit Singh from Chakai constituency. JD-U offered cabinet minister post to Sumit Singh and included him in the party but his rivalry with Prasad did not end. He reportedly worked against the JD-U candidate.

Bihar Assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha, of the BJP, hails from Lakhisarai district, and is also said to have worked against the JD-U candidate. His photograph with RJD candidate Ajay Singh went viral on social media during the campaign when they visited a local temple for puja. Sources say that the verbal duel between Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Sinha during the Budget session was also a factor.

It was no different for other parties.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had won the Assembly election from Raghopur in Vaishali but his party's candidate Subodh Rai lost the MLC election from Vaishali.

BJP state chief Sanjay Jaiswal, and Deputy Chief Minister represent West Champaran district but the BJP candidate lost the MLC election to RJD's Saurabh Chaudhary.

In Begusarai, BJP candidate Rajnish Singh lost the election to his Congress rival Rajiv Singh.

Sources have said that during 2019 Lok Sabha election, BJP firebrand leader Giriraj Singh who wanted to contest election from Nawada but the party had fielded him from Begusarai. On that occasion, Rajnish Singh had given a suggestion on social media and as a result, Giriraj Singh became angry with him.

Giriraj Singh however managed to win the election against left party candidate Kanhaiya Kumar and become a stronger leader of the BJP. He also managed to find a place in the Narendra Modi cabinet.

Sources say that the Giriraj factor worked against Rajnish Singh.