This time the elections for 10 seats of Bihar Legislative Council seem to be writing not only political mathematics but also a new script of familyism. Both the NDA and the Grand Alliance are busy solving their own social equations, but the most discussed are those faces whose identity is more related to their political families than to politics. Somewhere there is discussion about Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s minister son Nishant Kumar and somewhere about Upendra Kushwaha’s minister son Deepak Prakash, both have become ministers, but are not members of any house. The question is whether family is now becoming the strongest base of ticket in Bihar politics?
Bihar Legislative Council 9 seats are falling vacant, while by-election is to be held on 1 seat, which means the political chessboard has been laid on a total of 10 seats. According to the current numerical strength in the Assembly, NDA can easily win 9 seats, while the Grand Alliance seems to be getting one seat.
If experts are to be believed, the formula for seats within the NDA is also considered almost fixed. JDU can get 4 seats, BJP can get 3 seats, while LJP(R) and RLM i.e. Upendra Kushwaha’s party can get one seat each. On the other hand, there is talk of one seat going to RJD’s account, but in this entire election, the biggest discussion is about faces rather than seats.
Discussion of names of Nishant and Deepak Prakash
The name of former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant Kumar is in discussion. On behalf of RLM, Upendra Kushwaha can send his son Deepak Prakash to the Legislative Council, so that the formal entry of the new generation can be done in the party.
At the same time, the effect of family politics is clearly visible in LJP(R). There is talk that Chirag Paswan may give a chance to his nephew Seemant Mrinal, so that the new generation of the Paswan family can be taken forward.
That is, the interesting thing is that even the parties which attack the most on nepotism are now not lagging behind in promoting their respective political heirs, somewhere sons, somewhere nephews and somewhere the next generation of the family. Bihar Legislative Council elections now seem to be becoming a platform for political legacy rather than political experience.
Know the political mathematics regarding elections
In NDA, BJP has 2 seats and JDU has 4 seats. The number of BJP MLAs is 89, while the number of JDU MLAs is 85. That means their victory on 3-3 seats is almost certain. JDU’s share of Nitish Kumar’s seat is also coming, that is, at present the victory of JDU leader on 4 seats out of 10 is considered certain. If we include the entire grand alliance then there are 41 MLAs. In such a situation, they do not have sufficient numbers to field another candidate.
Nine seats of Bihar Legislative Council are becoming vacant on 28 June 2026. These include two seats of RJD, three seats of JDU, one seat each of Congress and BJP. Apart from this, by-elections are to be held on the seats vacant after former CM Nitish Kumar became Rajya Sabha MP.
Familyism dominates elections
One name from JDU, Nishant Kumar, is final. He will go to the Legislative Council from a new seat (whose tenure is 6 years) instead of the by-election to be held on the vacant seat of Nitish Kumar. If JD Sessions is to be believed, both the current MLCs Ghulam Gaus and Bhisham Sahni will be replaced. New faces will get a chance in their place. If the by-election seats are combined then there will be 4 MLCs from JDU.
Under social balance, new faces from the Party Extremely Backward (EBC), Muslim and Dalit classes can be sent to the Legislative Council. Here, Jitan Ram Manjhi has met Samrat Chaudhary and staked claim on a seat. This time, AIMIM is also making claim in the grand alliance, which had helped the RJD candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections.
This election of Bihar Legislative Council is clearly indicating that the influence of familyism is still the strongest in the politics of power. Faces are changing. Generations are changing, but family still remains the center of politics.
Read this also- Local equations or external candidates? Why did JDU lose on Ara-Buxar Legislative Council seat?
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