Patna: Even as the NDA grapples with finalising seat-sharing arrangements for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, Chief Minister and JD(U) National President Nitish Kumar has gone ahead with his party’s preparations.
On Saturday, while addressing a public meeting in Buxar, Nitish Kumar announced former minister Santosh Kumar Nirala as the NDA candidate from the Rajpur (Reserved) constituency.
Pointing to Nirala during his speech, the Chief Minister appealed directly to the people to ensure his victory.
“We request you, please pay attention, make him (Santosh Nirala) win. If you so want, we will get elected in large numbers. These Congress people have created a lot of chaos — have they done any work to date? They only created trouble. Now see, everyone is working,” Nitish said.
In his address, the Chief Minister once again invoked memories of the Lalu-Rabri regime, urging voters to compare the past with his government’s work.
“What was there in Bihar 20 years ago? Now, good work is happening everywhere. With the support of the Centre, we will take Bihar forward. Bihar will not remain behind—it will once again be at the forefront in the country,” Nitish added.
The Rajpur (SC) seat in Buxar district has witnessed tough contests in the past.
In the 2020 Assembly elections, Congress candidate Vishwanath Ram defeated JD(U)’s Santosh Kumar Nirala by 21,204 votes.
Vishwanath Ram obtained 67,871 votes while Santosh Kumar Nirala got 46,667 votes and Sanjay Ram of the BSP got 43,836 votes.
In the 2015 Assembly Elections, contesting under the Grand Alliance, Santosh Kumar Nirala defeated the BJP’s Vishwanath Ram by 32,788 votes and later served as Transport Minister in the Nitish Kumar Cabinet.
By announcing Nirala’s name ahead of the NDA’s official seat-sharing formula, Nitish Kumar has sent a strong message to both allies and rivals.
The Rajpur constituency, which saw a close triangular fight in 2020, is expected to be one of the high-stakes battles in the upcoming polls.
(IANS)
