"All 5 Rajya Sabha MPs from Bihar will be from NDA": Chirag Paswan ahead of RS polls

Patna (Bihar) [India], March 2 (ANI): Union Minister Chirag Paswan said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is set to secure all five Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar, while highlighting the crucial role of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) (Ram Vilas) in the upcoming elections.
On Sunday, Paswan told reporters that despite efforts by the opposition, their defeat is certain, and the alliance remains fully united.
"Meetings have been held regarding the Rajya Sabha elections. Discussions within the alliance have begun. In this context, undoubtedly, the 19 MLAs from our LJP (Ram Vilas) will also play an important role in the coming days. Now the process is gradually starting. I will certainly say this much that all 5 MPs elected to the Rajya Sabha from Bihar will be NDA MPs. Which party they will belong to is a matter for later, but all 5 MPs will be from the NDA. They (Tejashwi Yadav) may try, but just like in the assembly elections, their defeat here is certain. We have no doubt whatsoever about the numbers. The entire alliance is united," he said.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday announced the schedule for the upcoming biennial elections to the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) to fill the 37 seats across 10 states, as the members are set to complete their term in April 2026, a press note stated.
According to the press note, the term of 37 members who were elected from Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana will conclude in the month of April, vacating the seats for new members to be elected.
The notification will be issued on February 26, commencing the election process. The last date of nominations is March 5, followed by scrutiny on March 6. The candidates can withdraw their nominations till March 9.
The polling is scheduled to take place on March 16, with the counting of votes on the same day at 5 pm. (ANI)