Patna, February 19 JD(U) national general secretary Ashok Choudhary stated on Thursday that the NDA will win all five Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar.
The biennial Rajya Sabha elections for 37 seats across 10 states are scheduled to be held on March 16.
Bihar is allocated 16 seats in the Rajya Sabha, of which five will be vacated after the retirement of five members – Harivansh Narayan Singh and Ram Nath Thakur of the JD(U), Prem Chand Gupta and Amarendra Dhari Singh of the RJD, and Upendra Kushwaha (RLM).
With the NDA's combined tally in the Bihar assembly reaching 202 after the recent polls, the ruling alliance is well-positioned to secure four seats, while its prospects for the fifth seat depend on the support of three additional MLAs.
Choudhary, however, claimed that the NDA will win all five seats.
When pointed out that his alliance might be short of three MLAs to win the elections, he told reporters, "That is not a big deal; we will safely secure the support of more than three legislators before the polls."
The AIMIM, which has five assembly seats at its disposal, could be the key.
AIMIM Bihar president Akhtarul Iman has urged "secular" parties to support its candidate.
