BJP dismisses Bihar NDA rift after two Independent MLCs back party
Synopsis
A post-election move by Bihar's BJP — bringing two newly elected Independent MLCs into its fold — has drawn public objections from alliance partner JD-U, which questioned the re-induction of an MLC previously expelled from the party. The BJP insists the NDA is fully united, but the episode exposes the coalition's ongoing fault lines ahead of Bihar's next electoral cycle.
Key Takeaways
Bihar BJP rejected claims of NDA discord after two Independent MLCs — Rahul Raj and Banshidhar Brajwasi — extended support to the party following the Bihar MLC elections.
State BJP President Sanjay Saraogi clarified the MLCs had not formally joined the party, only offered support, and called the NDA 'completely united'.
JD-U President Umesh Kushwaha questioned why Rahul Raj , previously expelled from BJP for six years , was being re-inducted.
Senior JD-U MLA Shyam Rajak called it 'ethically questionable' for Independent winners to join a party after election victory.
A joint NDA programme in Bhagalpur was cited by the BJP as proof of continued coalition coordination.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on 3 November 2026 firmly rejected talk of any discord within Bihar's ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), after the induction of two newly elected Independent Members of the Bihar Legislative Council (MLC) triggered objections from alliance partner Janata Dal-United (JD-U). The controversy follows the recently concluded Bihar MLC elections, in which Rahul Raj and Banshidhar Brajwasi won their respective seats as Independent candidates before extending support to the BJP.
What the BJP Said
State BJP President Sanjay Saraogi moved quickly to contain the fallout, clarifying that the two MLCs had not formally joined the party but had merely extended their support to it. He maintained that the NDA remained completely united and that alliance partners were actively coordinating on the ground. Saraogi pointed to a joint NDA programme held in Bhagalpur on Monday — attended by BJP President Nitin Nabin, JD-U leader Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) National President Santosh Kumar Suman, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) representative Deepak Prakash — as evidence of the coalition's cohesion. 'NDA leaders are participating in joint programmes and maintaining coordination among alliance partners,' Saraogi said.
JD-U's Objections
The JD-U has taken particular exception to the BJP's decision to bring Rahul Raj into its fold. State JD-U President Umesh Kushwaha publicly questioned why the BJP chose to re-induct Raj, who had previously been expelled from the party for six years. His remarks fuelled speculation over a growing rift between the two principal partners of the Bihar NDA. Senior JD-U leader and MLA Shyam Rajak also raised questions about the propriety of Independent candidates joining political parties after winning elections, arguing that while parties were free to extend support to Independents, the reverse — an Independent joining a party post-victory — was ethically questionable.
Background: The Bihar MLC Elections
The controversy has its roots in the Bihar Legislative Council election results, where both Rahul Raj and Banshidhar Brajwasi contested and won as Independent candidates. Their subsequent alignment with the BJP is what has drawn sharp reactions from within the NDA itself. This is not the first time MLC elections have generated intra-alliance tension in Bihar; the state's upper house polls have historically been a flashpoint for seat-sharing disputes and post-poll defections across party lines.
Alliance Dynamics and What's at Stake
Bihar's NDA is a multi-party coalition and its internal equilibrium is closely watched ahead of the state's next electoral cycle. The JD-U, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, has historically been sensitive to any moves by the BJP that could be seen as consolidating influence at the expense of coalition partners. Notably, the episode surfaces at a time when the NDA government in Bihar has been projecting unity on development and welfare. The optics of a public dispute between the BJP and JD-U — however contained — could be used by the Opposition to question the coalition's durability. Both parties are expected to resolve the issue through back-channel dialogue before it escalates further.
Point of View
And the JD-U knows it. Bihar's coalition politics have always run on an unspoken arithmetic of mutual restraint, and this episode tests that restraint at a moment when both parties need each other ahead of the next electoral contest.
NationPress
3 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is there tension in Bihar's NDA over the MLC elections?
The tension arose after two newly elected Independent MLCs, Rahul Raj and Banshidhar Brajwasi, extended support to the BJP following the Bihar Legislative Council elections. Alliance partner JD-U objected to the move, particularly questioning the BJP's decision to bring back Rahul Raj, who had previously been expelled from the party for six years.
What has the BJP said about the reported NDA rift in Bihar?
State BJP President Sanjay Saraogi denied any discord, clarifying that the two MLCs had only extended support to the BJP and had not formally joined it. He pointed to a recent joint NDA event in Bhagalpur attended by leaders from BJP, JD-U, HAM, and RLM as evidence of continued alliance unity.
Why did JD-U object to Rahul Raj's induction into the BJP?
JD-U President Umesh Kushwaha questioned the propriety of re-inducting Rahul Raj, who had earlier been expelled from the BJP for six years. His remarks suggested that the JD-U sees the move as a breach of the implicit norms governing coalition seat-sharing and political conduct.
What did senior JD-U leader Shyam Rajak say about Independent MLCs joining parties?
MLA Shyam Rajak said it was ethically questionable for Independent candidates to join a political party after winning an election on the Independent ticket. He acknowledged that parties could extend support to Independents, but drew a distinction between that and Independents formally affiliating with a party post-victory.
Who are the two Independent MLCs at the centre of the Bihar NDA controversy?
The two MLCs are Rahul Raj and Banshidhar Brajwasi, both of whom won seats in the recently concluded Bihar Legislative Council elections as Independent candidates before extending their support to the BJP.
