Upendra Kushwaha and Manan Kumar Mishra File Nominations for Rajya Sabha By-Polls

Former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha and Supreme Court lawyer Manan Kumar Mishra have filed their nominations for the Rajya Sabha by-polls in Bihar. Top NDA leaders, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, witnessed the filing. The by-polls are prompted by the election of sitting MPs Vivek Thakur and Misa Bharti to the Lok Sabha.

Former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha and Supreme Court lawyer Manan Kumar Mishra on Wednesday filed their nomination papers for the by-polls to two Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar.

Top leaders of the NDA in the state, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputies, Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, were present at the Vidhan Sabha secretariat during the filing of nomination papers by the two candidates.

The by-polls have been necessitated by the election to the Lok Sabha of sitting Rajya Sabha MPs Vivek Thakur (BJP) and Misa Bharti (RJD).

Mishra, who began his political career in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls by unsuccessfully contesting from Valmiki Nagar on a BSP ticket, switched over to the BJP five years later when he also canvassed in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

''The opportunity given to me is an honour for the country's 25 lakh-strong legal fraternity. Lawyers must live up to the expectations of Prime Minister Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party president J P Nadda,'' said Mishra, who heads the Bar Council of India.

Kushwaha, who heads Rashtriya Lok Morcha, asserted that as a member of the Upper House, he will press for judicial reforms and do away with the collegium system.

''I have always been raising my voice against the collegium system. My struggle will now continue, from the streets to the Parliament (sadak se sansad tak),'' said Kushwaha, who was a Minister of State in the first Narendra Modi administration.

The last date for withdrawal of candidature is August 27.

(With inputs from agencies.)