By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
Patna: With an aim to strengthen its base among the minority community in the state, the ruling Janata Dal (United) has included Dr M. Ejaz Ali, president of All India United Muslim Morcha, in the list of its nominees for biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha.
It is said that by nominating Dr Ali, son in law of former Bihar Assembly Speaker Ghulam Sarwar, JD-U president Sharad Yadav and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar have tried to dent the RJD’s base among backward Muslims. Ali is also the leader of Backward Muslim Front. Playing Muslim card, JD-U has also decided to field party leader Harun Rasheed for the state Legislative Council election.
Syed Shahabuddin, veteran Muslim leader and former president of All India Muslim Majlise Mushawarat, was also reportedly in the fray for the Raja Sabha nomination from the JD-U but the party did not consider his name.
In the list of three party nominees announced on 12th March for the Rajya Sabha, the other two are Bihar Planning Commission Deputy Chairman N.K. Singh and former Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Shivanand Tiwari. The party has chosen its candidate from almost all sections of the community like Brahmin, Rajput, Kurmi, and from extreme backward classes (EBCs) to balance its political equation in Bihar.