Bihar Legislative Council polls: RLM MLAs back own party candidate against NDA's JD(U) nominee
Synopsis
Three RLM legislators in Bihar are publicly backing their own party candidate in the Saran Teachers' constituency — directly against the NDA's official JD(U) nominee. RLM chief Upendra Kushwaha has downplayed the rebellion but stopped short of announcing disciplinary action, leaving a visible crack in the alliance as Legislative Council polling approaches.
Key Takeaways
RLM state President Alok Singh , Madhubani MLA Madhav Anand , and Bajpatti MLA Rameshwar Mahto are backing Rampukar Sinha against the NDA's official nominee in Saran Teachers' constituency .
The NDA has fielded JD(U) candidate Anand Pushkar in the seat, making the RLM legislators' support for Sinha a direct contradiction of alliance discipline.
RLM chief Upendra Kushwaha publicly maintained the NDA candidate would win despite the internal dissent.
Kushwaha deferred on disciplinary action, saying he would comment only after obtaining complete information.
Reports indicate similar disagreements involving the same three MLAs have surfaced previously, pointing to a recurring pattern of intra-party friction within the RLM.
Internal fault lines within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) have sharpened ahead of the Bihar Legislative Council elections, with three legislators of the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) openly backing their party's state General Secretary, Rampukar Sinha, in the Saran Teachers' constituency — directly against the NDA's official nominee, Anand Pushkar of the Janata Dal (United). The development has thrust intra-alliance tensions into the spotlight in Patna on 5 October 2026.
Who Is Supporting Whom
According to reports, RLM state President Alok Singh, Madhubani MLA Madhav Anand, and Bajpatti MLA Rameshwar Mahto have extended their support to Sinha, who is contesting against the JD(U) candidate Pushkar. The significance of the move lies in the fact that RLM is formally part of the NDA, making its three legislators' support for a rival candidate a direct contradiction of alliance discipline.
Kushwaha Plays Down the Rift
RLM chief and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha, speaking to reporters in Patna, sought to minimise the political fallout. He maintained that the NDA candidate would win irrespective of individual decisions or campaign activities by party members. 'A kind of intoxication has entered the political atmosphere since the election process began, affecting both the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan,' Kushwaha said, urging observers not to read too much into such developments.
When specifically asked whether disciplinary action would be taken against the three legislators, Kushwaha said he would be able to comment only after obtaining complete information on the matter — a response that stopped short of either endorsing or condemning the rebellion.
A Pattern of Intra-Party Friction
This development is not the first sign of discord within the RLM. Reports of disagreements between sections of the party leadership and some of its MLAs — including Alok Singh, Madhav Anand, and Rameshwar Mahto — have surfaced on earlier occasions as well. The decision of the three legislators to back Sinha has now added a fresh and more visible dimension to those internal disputes.
Notably, this is the kind of pre-poll turbulence that can quietly erode the vote-management efficiency of an alliance, even when top leadership publicly projects confidence. The Saran Teachers' constituency has, as a result, become a focal point of scrutiny as the Legislative Council campaign moves toward polling.
What Happens Next
With Kushwaha deferring on disciplinary action and the three MLAs maintaining their stand, the NDA faces the immediate challenge of containing the narrative without triggering a sharper internal rupture. Industry observers of Bihar politics note that teacher constituency elections, though low-profile nationally, carry considerable symbolism as barometers of ground-level alliance cohesion. The outcome in Saran will likely be watched closely for what it signals about the broader health of NDA's Bihar unit.
Point of View
While ignoring it sets a precedent that undermines NDA's vote consolidation. Bihar's teacher constituency elections are often dismissed as peripheral, but they are precisely where ground-level alliance loyalty is stress-tested away from national media scrutiny. If the JD(U) nominee loses despite NDA's formal backing, the post-mortem will point squarely at this rebellion — and Kushwaha's leadership will face uncomfortable questions.
NationPress
5 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are RLM MLAs supporting a candidate against the NDA nominee in Bihar?
Three RLM legislators — Alok Singh, Madhav Anand, and Rameshwar Mahto — are backing RLM state General Secretary Rampukar Sinha in the Saran Teachers' constituency, where the NDA has officially nominated JD(U) candidate Anand Pushkar. The move reportedly reflects pre-existing internal disagreements within the RLM rather than a formal break from the NDA.
What is the Saran Teachers' constituency election about?
The Saran Teachers' constituency is one of the seats being contested in the Bihar Legislative Council elections. Teacher constituency seats in Bihar are elected by teachers in a defined geographical area and are considered indicators of local alliance cohesion and grassroots political management.
What did Upendra Kushwaha say about the internal differences?
RLM chief and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha played down the rift, asserting the NDA candidate would win regardless of individual campaign activities. When asked about disciplinary action against the rebel MLAs, he said he would comment only after obtaining full information on the matter.
Has there been previous friction between RLM leadership and these MLAs?
Yes. Reports indicate that disagreements between sections of the RLM leadership and Alok Singh, Madhav Anand, and Rameshwar Mahto have surfaced on earlier occasions as well, suggesting the current episode is part of a recurring pattern of intra-party discord rather than an isolated incident.
What does this mean for the NDA's prospects in the Bihar Legislative Council elections?
The open backing of a rival candidate by three of its own alliance partner's MLAs could complicate the NDA's vote management in the Saran Teachers' constituency. While Kushwaha has projected confidence in a JD(U) victory, the rebellion adds uncertainty and keeps intra-alliance tensions under scrutiny as polling approaches.
