JD(U) likely to get Bihar Council chairman post
JD-U sets its eyes on Legislative Council chairman’s post
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Patna — In keeping with the old practice, speculations are rife that the post of the chairman of Bihar Legislative Council will once again switch over to the JD(U) in the NDA government in the coming days, officials aware of the matter said.
It has been an old and established practice that in the NDA, the two main alliance partners - the BJP and the JD(U) - hold the position of head of one House each.
With senior BJP leader Prem Kumar holding the Speaker's chair, JD(U) is brainstorming in the selection of its candidate for the position of chairman of the Legislative Council.
At present, Awadhesh Narain Singh is chairman of the Legislative Council, holding the position since June 16, 2012, barring two occasions in 2017 and 2022 when JD(U) joined hands with the RJD.
Narendra Narayan Yadav of the JD(U) is deputy Speaker in the Vidhan Sabha and Ramavboat
camber piiatetrch ella iS ne heal RIFE IN THE JD(U) ON A FEW NAMES FOR THE POST, OFFICIALS SAID. PRESENT DEPUTY CHAIRMAN RAMAVCHAN RAIIS SAID TO BE THE FRONT RUNNER chan Rai is deputy chairman in the Vidhan Parishad. When a JD(U) leader is Council chairman, BJP will have its own deputy chairman.
Speculations are rife in the JD(U) on a few names for the chairman's post. Senior JD(U) leader and present deputy chairman Ramavchan Rai is said to be front runner, though his Council tenure is only till March 2027.
Rai was elected unopposed to the position of deputy chairperson of the Legislative Council on July 24, 2024 and he remains on the post till date.
BNET SESE CR NERD EES Pees VR OREN SS ON EIEE FSES WE BEE head of the Hindi department __ party. of Patna University. He has also In the 75-member Bihar Vidbeen a littérateur and was _ han Parishad, JD(U) is the secinvolved in the JP movement. _ ond largest party with 20 seats He first became MLC from RJD behind BJP with 25 seats. In the in 2004, bitin 201] he switched — Vidhan Sabha also, BJP is the over to JD(U). largest party with 88 seats, folOther names are also floatlowed closely by the JD(U) with ing from the JD(U) for the post. 85 seats. Lalan Sarraf is being discussed The JD(U) has called a big as a potential choice. He has _ meeting in Patna on September [ been holding the responsibility 18. All MPs, MLAs and memof treasurer in the JD(U) for _ bers of the Legislative Council long and is concerned close to _ have been called to Patna. Nitish Kumar. Though being projected as Another name is thatofSanan orientation programme, jay Gandhi, in charge of the senior party leaders said it party foralongtime and MLC could also throw light on the since 2012. He is also consid_ organisational strategy needed ered close to Nitish. These to resurrect the party with an three are considered to be in eye on handing over the party the Nitish's scheme of things. baton to Nishant Kumar. However, nobody is ready to "Be it the Uniform Civil Code speak who will be the final (UCC), Farakka agreement, choice. Council chairman, change in "It is up to Nitish Kumar. party's name after Nitish JD(U) has been demanding that Kumar and coronation of Nishthe council chairman should be ant Kumar... there are a lot of from the party when the _ issues, besides party's stand on Speaker is from the BJP. Ithas political developments. The been old practice, irrespective impact will gradually be visible who JD(U) has aligned with," after the meeting," he added.
About the Author
Arun Kumar is a veteran journalist and Associate Editor with Hindustan Times, based in Patna. For more than three and a half decades, his reporting has chronicled Bihar's complex political landscape, university and educational reforms, landmark judicial rulings of the Patna High Court, administrative governance, and social shifts across the state. Known for deep investigative reporting and source-grounded accountability journalism, he is a recipient of the prestigious K.C. Kulish Journalism Award and the Keshav Bhatt Journalism Award, and is an LDM Fellow.