Sharad Yadav among three JD(U) candidates for Rajya Sabha in Bihar

PATNA: Politics has hotted up in Bihar over election to its three Rajya Sabha seats with three official candidates of ruling JD(U), including party president Sharad Yadav and as many independents backed by rebels and BJP filing their nominations today.

Besides Yadav, diplomat-turned politician Pawan Verma and Gulam Rasool Balyawi filed nominations as official candidates of JD(U).

Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, his predecessor Nitish Kumar, state JD(U) chief Basistha Narayan Singh and senior minister Narendra Singh were present in the state assembly during filling of nominations by the three.

The election to the three Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar has taken a curious political turn with three others filling nominations against the JD(U) official candidates.

Backed by rebels and BJP, expelled JD(U) leader Sabir Ali, real estate baron Anil Sharma, who had contested recent Lok Sabha election as JD(U) candidate and BJP MLC and its candidate from Kisanganj parliamentary constituency Dilip Jaiswal filed their nominations.

Nearly a dozen rebel JD(U) legislators accompanied the three to the state assembly during the filing of papers.

Gyanendra Singh Gyanu, Poonam Devi, Anil Kumar, Raju Kumar Singh, Neeraj Kumar Singh Babloo, suspended JD(U) MLA Ravindra Rai, Renu Devi, Sujata Devi, Amla Devi, Ajit Kumar, Amla Devi were among the dissidents.

Before filling nominations, the three independent candidates held a meeting with senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi.

Poonam Devi later told reporters that no candidate has been put up against Sharad Yadav.

The three independent candidates would vie for the two other seats against Pawan Verma and Gulam Rasool Balyawi, she added.