Rajya Sabha Polls: BJP picks surprise candidate in Bihar over Sushil Modi

Sources said some RSS leaders had reservations against Modi’s candidacy. Besides, some leaders pointed out that “rewarding” Modi, who was a prominent leader of the state BJP, after the humiliating defeat of the party in last year’s assembly elections would send wrong signals.

This will be a comeback of sorts for Singh, an upper caste Rajput leader from Rohtas, who had been lying low in state politics for eight years since he completed his term as BJP state president. “Singh may well have been chosen to scuttle chances of Sushil Modi,” said a source.

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Incidentally, Singh lost from Nabinagar (Aurangabad) in the last Assembly elections — his eighth such defeat.

A senior BJP leader said: “One could have understood the logic had the choice been between Modi and Hussain. But Singh looks a clear-cut case of lobbying. As for upper caste politics, Bihar has a fair representation of Rajputs in the form of Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Radha Mohan Singh, who are MPs and ministers.”

Singh was among the 12 names announced by BJP for the June elections Sunday. (See box)

In Jharkhand, where the BJP can win two seats, the party has nominated only one till now — . Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, MoS for Parliamentary and Minority Affairs. The party is yet to take a call on the other seat.

“We have the numbers to contest the two seats, but are waiting for the opposition parties to make their move,” said state BJP spokesperson Prem Mittal.

Mittal added Naqvi was familiar with Jharkhand as he was the party’s in-charge in the state when it was carved out of Bihar in 2000. Party sources maintained that the suspense over Rajya Sabha ticket for outgoing MP M J Akbar is not yet over. “He has been in Rajya Sabha for only one year as he won in a bypoll. A lot will depend on how the Opposition strategy shapes up,” said a source.

In Haryana, while Rural Development Minister Birender Singh was picked, the party is yet to take a call on Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, whose tenure will end in August. A senior leader said the BJP government in Haryana has numbers to ensure victory of one candidate. For the other, it will not be a safe contest.