Patna, Feb 24 (NationPress) The political landscape in Bihar is heating up as the elections for five Rajya Sabha seats approach, a contest that holds considerable significance given the broader elections for 37 seats across 10 states.

Among the five Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar, the terms of three NDA MPs and two MPs from the Grand Alliance are nearing their end, making this election pivotal for both factions.

In light of these developments, Union MSME Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has brought to the forefront an earlier commitment made by the NDA to his party.

Addressing the media, Manjhi stated that as a member of the NDA, he had been promised two Lok Sabha seats and one Rajya Sabha seat.

Although he has not formally requested anything yet, he expressed optimism that the leadership of the alliance would fulfill its promise and mentioned that he would await the final verdict.

In a related note, Union Minister and LJP (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan has dismissed rumors about his mother, Reena Paswan, being nominated to the Rajya Sabha.

The Bihar MPs set to complete their Rajya Sabha terms include Ramnath Thakur, Harivansh Narayan Singh, Upendra Kushwaha, Premchandra Gupta, and Amarendradhari Singh.

Currently, the NDA holds 202 MLAs in the Bihar Assembly, with 41 MLAs needed to secure a single Rajya Sabha seat.

To claim all five seats, a total of 205 votes is necessary, indicating that the ruling coalition is slightly short of a complete victory.

On the flip side, the Grand Alliance has 35 MLAs. If they can gain the backing of five AIMIM MLAs and one Bahujan Samaj Party MLA, the opposition could potentially win one Rajya Sabha seat.

Sources suggest that Tejashwi Yadav, a leader from the RJD, and his party are actively investigating this avenue.

However, AIMIM has reportedly set its own terms, and discussions are still in progress.

Within the NDA, there are ongoing talks regarding a potential distribution of seats for the Rajya Sabha elections.

Sources indicate that a proposal is under consideration where two seats might be allocated to the BJP, two to the JD(U), and one to an ally.

While Upendra Kushwaha is already regarded as a strong candidate, parties like LJP (Ram Vilas) and HAM (Secular) have also laid claim to the remaining seat.

In addition to electoral matters, Manjhi also shared his views on Bihar's liquor prohibition policy.

He remarked that although the law's intent is commendable, its execution has been lacking.

According to Manjhi, "The affluent continue to indulge in expensive liquor, while the less fortunate are compelled to consume cheap and hazardous alcohol."

He accused the system of targeting the poor with legal repercussions, while smugglers benefit from the illegal liquor market, emphasizing the necessity for a reevaluation of the prohibition law.