JD (U) nominates NK Singh for Rajya Sabha polls

BS Reporter / New Delhi March 13, 2008

Former deputy chairperson of the planning commission NK Singh has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha on a Janata Dal (U) ticket for the March 26 polls.
 
The JD(U) has two definite seats in this round of Rajya Sabha polls and has chosen to nominate NK Singh and former RJD spokesperson Shivanand Tiwary who has since joined the JD(U).
 
A third seat belonging to the JD(U) which fell vacant after the death of Motiur Rahman and has a two year term yet to finish has been awarded to Ejaz Ali.
 
The seat had been much sought after as under the present configurations, the JD(U) needs the help of its ally, the BJP to secure the seat. Names of a prominent journalist, former head of the Babri Masjid Action Committee Syed Shahabuddin and even former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra had been doing the rounds.
 
Ejaz Ali belongs to a depressed section among the minority community and is related to a prominent socialist leader in Bihar.
 
With this the NDA’s quota of seats have been filled. The BJP had yesterday announced that former health minister C P Thakur would be their nominee for the single seat that the party can afford to win at present. The party had tried hard to get the seat vacated after the death of sitting MP
 
Motiur Rahman since they had foregone a seat to the JD(U) in the last round, but the JD(U) had remained adamant.