The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured all five Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar, dominating the biennial elections with strategic support and some unexpected absences. The victory came after the opposition Mahagathbandhan in the state faced a major setback when four MLAs from Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) skipped voting. The absentees, including three Congress members and one from RJD, left the opposition with fewer votes than needed to secure at least one of the seats.
The NDA's candidates, including Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and BJP's Nitin Nabin, each received 44 votes. This was a significant gain for the alliance, as both Nitish Kumar and Nitin Nabin's election was unopposed due to the absence of the opposition members. The results also saw Upendra Kushwaha from the Rashtriya Lok Morcha and Ramnath Thakur securing seats with 42 votes each, which underlined the NDA's dominance in the state.
One of the most closely watched battles was between BJP’s Shivesh Kumar and RJD’s AD Singh. Despite AD Singh securing more first-preference votes (37 against Shivesh Kumar’s 30), the latter emerged victorious after securing more second-preference votes. Shivesh Kumar’s total vote value increased to 4,202, compared to AD Singh’s 3,700, highlighting the strategic shift in support that ultimately decided the outcome in favor of the BJP candidate.
In Odisha, the NDA also made significant inroads, securing two Rajya Sabha seats. The results from Odisha were marred by reports of cross-voting, where several MLAs from the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Congress broke ranks and supported the BJP candidates. Manmohan Samal and Sujeet Kumar from the BJP clinched their seats with a resounding victory. In a rare political development, Dilip Ray, an independent candidate backed by the BJP, also secured a seat, thanks to cross-voting by around eight BJD MLAs. This was a significant achievement for the BJP, which has been trying to expand its footprint in Odisha.
This Rajya Sabha election, which took place amid heightened political maneuvering, also witnessed a brief halt in the voting process over a dispute regarding the ballot papers. Allegations of attempted influence further fueled the intense political activity surrounding the elections. Despite these hurdles, the NDA emerged victorious, gaining ground in both Bihar and Odisha, as opposition parties scrambled to regroup. This victory consolidates the NDA’s position in both states and sets the stage for the upcoming state elections, where the political landscape could shift dramatically depending on the growing influence of cross-voting and strategic alliances.
