Patna: The politics of the Bihar Legislative Council shifted on Saturday, October 31, when two newly elected Independent members threw their weight behind the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. The move, announced at the BJP state headquarters in Patna, gives the ruling camp a stronger hand in the Upper House and has already stirred unease inside alliance partner Janata Dal (United).
Banshidhar Brajwasi and Rahul Raj, both of whom defeated JD(U) candidates in the recent council elections, attended the BJP legislative party meeting chaired by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and declared their support for the government.
One report described the move as joining the BJP fold; another noted they had announced support for the NDA government but had not formally joined the party. What is not in dispute is the direction of travel: both men sat with the BJP legislature party and publicly aligned themselves with the government.
What happened in Patna on Saturday
The meetings unfolded over two days. Brajwasi met the Chief Minister on Thursday evening, while Rahul Raj had earlier met Choudhary at his residence in the presence of BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy.
Brajwasi, a well-known leader of teachers, said he had joined hands with the BJP to work for teachers’ welfare, and that the Chief Minister had assured him officials would discuss teachers’ issues. Rahul Raj said he had been associated with the BJP from the very beginning, describing a bond spanning 15 years, and that he had rejoined the party to live up to voters’ trust.
The two winners and their margins
Both men won as Independents against NDA-backed candidates, which makes their switch politically significant:
- Banshidhar Brajwasi, Tirhut Graduates’ constituency: Re-elected for a second consecutive term, he polled 31,832 votes against 22,685 for JD(U) candidate Abhishek Jha, winning by 9,147 votes. The constituency covers Muzaffarpur, Vaishali, Sitamarhi and Sheohar districts.
- Rahul Raj, Saran Teachers’ constituency: Elected for the first time, he polled 4,965 votes against 3,150 for JD(U) candidate Anand Pushkar, winning by 1,815 votes.
Rahul Raj’s candidacy had its own backstory. He contested as an Independent after defying the NDA’s decision to field Pushkar from the Saran Teachers’ seat, and the BJP subsequently expelled him for six years.
Why it matters for the council arithmetic
Elections were held for eight seats in the Bihar Legislative Council. The BJP initially won two of them. With the two Independents now in its camp, the party’s tally from this round rises to four of the eight seats, an improvement achieved within 48 hours of the results.
The development also underlines a familiar pattern in council politics. Graduates’ and teachers’ constituencies, where the electorate is small and highly organised, often produce Independent winners who then gravitate towards the ruling side, trading support for a hearing on their constituency’s demands.
Discontent inside the NDA
The celebrations in the BJP camp were accompanied by visible discontent in the JD(U). Abhishek Jha, who lost the Tirhut Graduates’ seat, claimed in a post on X that nearly 4,700 votes were invalidated because voters had marked a tick against his name on the ballot papers. He said he could have won comfortably if those votes had been counted.
Jha compared himself to Abhimanyu, the Mahabharata warrior trapped in a Chakravyuh, and wondered whether members of his own political family had isolated him. He did not name anyone. Backing him, JD(U) MP Devesh Chandra Thakur alleged that leaders of alliance partners had not sincerely supported Jha, and that some were uncomfortable with his growing political prominence.
Such public complaints from within an alliance are rarely accidental. They signal that the JD(U) expects a greater say in future ticket distribution and in the handling of council constituencies.
What happens next
For now, the NDA government in Bihar is stronger in the council than it was a week ago. The immediate questions are whether the two members formally join the BJP or continue as supporting Independents, and whether the JD(U)’s complaints lead to any course correction in how the alliance handles the next round of council elections.
The episode also shows how fast post-result arithmetic can move. In a House where numbers are built seat by seat, the days after counting can matter as much as polling day itself.
Frequently asked questions
Who are the two Independent MLCs?
Banshidhar Brajwasi, re-elected from the Tirhut Graduates’ constituency, and Rahul Raj, elected from the Saran Teachers’ constituency.
What did they announce on October 31?
At the BJP state headquarters in Patna, both attended the BJP legislative party meeting chaired by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and declared support for the NDA government.
What are their winning margins?
Brajwasi defeated JD(U) candidate Abhishek Jha by 9,147 votes, while Rahul Raj defeated JD(U) candidate Anand Pushkar by 1,815 votes.
How does this change the BJP’s position?
The BJP initially won two of the eight council seats contested. With the two Independents in its camp, its tally from this round rises to four of eight seats.
Why is the JD(U) unhappy?
Both Independents defeated JD(U) candidates. Jha has claimed nearly 4,700 of his votes were invalidated, and JD(U) MP Devesh Chandra Thakur has alleged that alliance partners did not sincerely support the JD(U) candidate.
The council arithmetic in Bihar will be watched closely in the coming weeks.
