Two independent members of the Bihar Legislative Council who defeated Janata Dal (United) candidates in the recent council elections have joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, Daily Jagran reported on Sunday. Rahul Raj won the Saran Teachers' constituency and Banshidhar Brijwasi retained the Tirhut Graduates' seat, both contesting as independents against JD(U) nominees.

Source: Daily Jagran

The development follows the council election results declared days earlier. Of the eight seats that went to polls on October 23, the BJP won three, independents won two, and the JD(U), the RJD and the Jan Suraaj Party won one each in the 75-member council, PTI reported.

Source: PTI via Swadesi

Both leaders joined the BJP after meeting Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Saturday and attended the BJP legislature party meeting at the party office in Patna, in the presence of state BJP president Sanjay Saraogi, according to the reports. Brijwasi later clarified that he had extended support to the BJP and had not taken formal membership of the party, according to a separate report.

The switch has raised questions about coordination within the ruling NDA. JD(U) leader Anand Pushkar has accused the BJP of not supporting alliance candidates during the polls, Inshorts reported, noting that Pushkar was among those defeated by Rahul Raj.

Source: Inshorts

Brijwasi had defeated JD(U) candidate Abhishek Jha by 9,147 votes in the Tirhut Graduates' constituency, winning the seat for a second consecutive time, according to reports of the result.

On Sunday, Leader of Opposition and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav called for the disqualification of the two MLCs, saying in a statement that their decision to join the BJP amounted to a violation of the anti-defection law, and accused the BJP of making a mockery of the Constitution, Daily Jagran reported. The allegation has not been decided by any authority, and no disqualification proceeding has been announced.