AIMIM meets RJD, signals common Opposition candidate for Bihar’s fifth Rajya Sabha seat

The possibility of a common Opposition candidate for Bihar’s fifth Rajya Sabha seat gathered momentum after AIMIM state president Akhtarul Iman met RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav in Patna. The meeting has triggered speculation of coordinated action by Opposition parties as nominations for five Rajya Sabha seats from the state began on Thursday.

After the meeting, Iman said Tejashwi had assured him that the RJD would consider extending support to an AIMIM candidate. He added that political parties need to back each other on key issues and indicated that AIMIM would reciprocate in the future if a similar situation arose. The remarks were seen as a signal of possible Opposition unity in what is shaping up to be a contest over the fifth seat.

Tejashwi Yadav expressed confidence that the Opposition would field its candidate and secure victory. He said preparations for the polls were already underway and that the name of the candidate would be finalised soon. Earlier, an RJD MLA had proposed the name of Hena Sahab, wife of former Siwan MP Mohammad Shahabuddin, as a potential nominee.

In the 243-member Bihar Assembly, RJD has 25 MLAs, while AIMIM has five legislators. Congress holds nine seats and BSP one. Despite its limited numbers, AIMIM is eyeing a Rajya Sabha berth, banking on broader Opposition support to improve its prospects in the contest for the fifth seat.

On the ruling side, BJP and JD(U) are expected to secure two seats each. JD(U) is likely to field Manish Kumar Verma, a former bureaucrat, while Ramnath Thakur is expected to retain his seat. In the BJP camp, several names are under discussion, with Bhojpuri actor-singer Pawan Singh recently meeting party leaders and reiterating his commitment to the party.