2 Independents who won Bihar MLC polls join BJP, one had rebelled from party before

Two candidates who contested and won as Independents in the recently-concluded biennial elections in Bihar joined the BJP on Saturday. Bansi Dhar Brajwasi and Rahul Raj, winners from the Tirhut graduates' and Saran teachers' constituencies, respectively, joined the party in the presence of Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary , state president Sanjay Sarougi and other leaders in Patna.

Notably, Rahul Raj was a BJP rebel who had fought the key Saran seat as an Independent. He defeated JD(U) candidate Anand Pushkar to win the Saran Teachers’ constituency. In the Tirhut seat, Brajwasi got elected for the second time. He had defeated his nearest rival Abhishek Jha of the JD(U) by a margin of 9,147 votes.

In the final results, BJP, RJD and independents won two seats each, and one each for the Janata Dal (United) and Jan Suraaj Party (JSP). However, the tally seems to have changed followed the Independents' switch to the BJP. The move will likely increase the number of MLCs of the ruling party in the state legislative council from its existing strength of 26.

RJD calls move ‘illegal’

Opposition RJD described the induction of two newly elected MLCs in the BJP despite winning as independents a total violation of constitutional norms. "The induction of two MLCs who won as independents into the BJP is totally illegal as the two newly elected legislators have not yet taken oath of secrecy in the house. Does the anti-defection law permit this kind of induction or is it as per constitutional norms?" asked Shakti Singh Yadav, senior RJD leader and former spokesperson.

Yadav also said the induction of the two MLCs just a day after final results of the biennial polls came indicates how the BJP having won just two seats was totally rattled by its poor performance and has started its old trick of poaching legislators. "It is a warning sign for the NDA's partner Janata Dal (United) as both these MLCs defeated JD(U) candidates. The JD(U) is now all set to get disintegrated as the BJP is playing hard to make its partner weak in the state," Yadav said.

Ejaj Ahmad of the RJD also said the induction of two independent MLCs into the BJP showed how the BJP terats its partners in the coalition. " It was a ploy by the BJP to allow two of its own people to fight as independent candidates against JD(U)'s official nominees and defeat them," Ahmad alleged.