A political controversy erupted in Bihar on Sunday after two newly elected independent members of the Legislative Council — Rahul Raj and Banshidhar Brajwasi, both of whom defeated Janata Dal-United nominees — extended their support to the Bharatiya Janata Party, with the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal demanding that both be disqualified, news agency IANS reported.

Source: IANS via Hi India

On Saturday, the two MLCs attended a BJP Legislature Party meeting at the party's state headquarters in Patna, where BJP state president Sanjay Saraogi welcomed and felicitated them in the presence of Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary. With their backing, the BJP's support in the Upper House rises to 26 MLCs, The Daily Jagran reported.

Source: The Daily Jagran

Rahul Raj won the Saran Teachers' constituency, defeating JD-U nominee Anand Pushkar; he also defeated Jan Suraaj's sitting MLC Afak Ahmad in the same contest. Banshidhar Brajwasi retained the Tirhut Graduates' seat, defeating JD-U's Abhishek Jha by 9,147 votes — his second consecutive win from the seat after his 2024 by-election victory, also as an independent.

RJD invokes the anti-defection law

Addressing a press conference at the RJD state headquarters in Patna on Sunday, party national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Manoj Kumar Jha cited Paragraph 2(2) of the Tenth Schedule and Article 191(2) of the Constitution, arguing that an independent member who joins a political party after election is liable to be disqualified. He alleged that both men had publicly displayed slips showing their formal induction into the BJP and said video and documentary evidence was available. RJD leader and Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav also called for their disqualification, and the party accused the BJP of inducting the two independents to weaken its own NDA ally, the JD-U — a charge the BJP has not publicly answered in the reports.

What is solid

  • Both independent MLCs attended the BJP Legislature Party meeting in Patna on Saturday and were welcomed by state president Sanjay Saraogi in the presence of CM Samrat Choudhary.
  • Rahul Raj (Saran Teachers') and Banshidhar Brajwasi (Tirhut Graduates') both defeated JD-U nominees in the recent Council elections.
  • The RJD on Sunday publicly demanded their disqualification, citing Tenth Schedule Paragraph 2(2) and Article 191(2).

What is only claimed

  • Whether the two formally took BJP membership — the RJD alleges they displayed induction slips; Brajwasi has clarified that he extended support to the BJP and did not take membership, so their formal status remains disputed.
  • Whether the anti-defection provision applies on these facts is for the Legislative Council Chairman to decide; no disqualification proceeding has been decided yet.

The row has also exposed friction inside the ruling NDA: defeated JD-U candidate Anand Pushkar has accused the BJP of not supporting alliance candidates during the polls, according to reports. What happens next rests with the Chairman of the Legislative Council, who would decide any disqualification petition if the RJD formally files one.