Kushwaha's son waits as NDA finalises MLC picks

With the NDA announcing nine candidates for the Bihar Legislative Council elections, the fate of state minister and RLM leader Upendra Kushwaha's son, Deepak Prakash, hangs in the balance.

For elections to nine MLC seats and a bypoll to one seat, the BJP and JDU announced four candidates each on Friday. On Saturday, LJP (Ram Vilas) named Ashraf Ansari as the NDA's ninth candidate.

Of the nine regular MLC seats, the NDA has the numbers to win eight, with 25 votes required for each seat.


Deepak Prakash is currently a minister in Bihar but is not a member of either House.

Sources told ET that the BJP is trying to persuade Kushwaha to have his son contest as a BJP candidate. The BJP is also said to have argued that Kushwaha himself was accommodated in the RS in April this year.

However, Kushwaha is not inclined to accept the proposal. The last date for filing nominations is Monday.

"Talks are going on. There is still time," Kushwaha told ET, while declining to comment on the BJP's reported offer.