Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former deputy chief minister of Bihar, Sushil Modi, filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha by-election as a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate at the Commissioner’s office in Patna, Bihar, on Wednesday, 2 December.
His nomination has been backed by Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) Chief Nitish Kumar who told news agency, ANI, that “Sushil Modi ji has our full support”.
JD(U) Offers Full Support To Sushil Modi
The JD (U), has extended its full support to Modi for his candidature saying, “Our good wishes are with him. Even if opposition fields a candidate, he will be elected. Wherever he will be, he will excel. He has done wonderful work as deputy CM and has a very good knowledge of financial aspects,” said JD (U) state president Bashistha Narain Singh, reported Hindustan Times.
Modi, who was replaced by Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi as the deputy chief ministers of state, had earlier stated in a report by ANI that, “Though I’m not part of the Bihar government, my soul dwells inside the current government. We shouldn’t let our party become weak ever.”
BJP seemed to have picked its own leader instead of an LJP candidate to replace Paswan because of his son and new LJP leader Chirag Paswan’s decision to not ally with the NDA during the recent Bihar state elections.
The seat fell vacant after the demise of Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on 8 October and must be occupied till 2 April 2024. The by-election is scheduled to take place on 14 December, with the vote-counting to happen on the same day as well.
(With inputs from ANI and Hindustan Times)
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