By TCN Staff Reporter,
Patna: As was expected, the ruling NDA alliance of Bihar has fielded Sabir Ali as its candidate for by-election of Rajya Sabha. Sabir Ali, who quit Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) to join JD-U recently, filed his nomination papers on Wednesday in the presence of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Shushil Kumar Modi and several other leaders.
The Election Commission of India issued notification on 5th Dec. 2011 for election of the lone seat. The candidates can file nomination till 12th Dec. while withdrawal of the nomination papers can be done by 15th Dec. 2011. The election will be held on 22nd Dec. and the result will be declared on the same day.
Sabir Ali
Bihar has 16 seats for its representation in Rajya Sabha. Of which, one seat fell vacant when Sabir Ali himself resigned from the membership of Rajya Sabha after quitting Ram Vilas Paswan-led LJP in the last week of October 2011.
Sabir Ali, who comes from Dumaria village in north Bihar’s East Champaran district, was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2008 on LJP seat which was supported by Lalu Prasad’s RJD. A Mumbai based builder by business, Sabir Ali was introduced to the field of politics by Lalu and Paswan. In 2005 Bihar Assembly election, he unsuccessfully contested from Raxaul constituency. But it was not the end of road for him in the politics and finally in 2008 he was sent to Rajya Sabha by LJP and RJD. His wife, Yashmin Sabir Ali was LJP candidate from the Narkatia seat in 2010 Assembly election, but she lost.
However, in the last week of October, Sabir Ali resigned from the primary membership and all other posts of LJP. He blamed LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan for doing “parivarwad politics” and sidelining the party’s loyalists.
He had two and half years left in the Upper House of Parliament but before joining JD-U on November 13, he resigned from membership of Rajya Sabha. Since his joining JD-U, it was making rounds that Nitish Kumar will renew Rajya Sabha membership of this millionaire politician which came true on Wednesday. Due to majority of the NDA alliance in Bihar Assembly, the victory of Sabir Ali is certain.
It should be noted here that Sabir Ali was not the only one who left LJP and joined JD-U in last six months but earlier two MLAs and three MLCs also adopted the same way of politics. Currently, LJP has only one member in Rajya Sabha in the form of Ramvilas Paswan while the party has no representation in Lok Sabha. Similarly, the party has only Zakir Hussain as its representative in Bihar Assembly while it is left without representation in Bihar Legislative Council.
It is said that Nitish Kumar went aggressive in poaching LJP legislators particularly Muslims soon after the June 3 Forbesganj firing. LJP chief Paswan highlighted the gruesome firing issue at national level. He met NHRC, NCM heads. He also met Sonia Gandhi and even President of India over the issue.
Four persons including an infant and a pregnant woman were killed in the firing. The Nitish government has not touched any police officer for the firing, nor has given compensation to the victim families.