Patna, Oct 31 Independent MLCs Banshidhar Brajwasi and Rahul Raj on Saturday announced that they have joined the BJP, days after they got elected to the Bihar Legislative Council.
Brajwasi, who retained the Tirhut Graduates’ constituency and Raj, who wrested the Saran Teachers’ constituency from Jan Suraaj party-backed MLC Afaq Ahmed, made the announcement at the BJP office in Patna, where they affirmed trust in the leadership of Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.
Raj, who had recently quit the BJP, told PTI Videos, “I had taken a decision because of coalition compulsions. But I have always been a BJP worker with full faith in the chief minister’s leadership, and have taken the party membership again.”
Raj also claimed, “As per rules, an Independent MLC shall be deemed to be the party’s authorised candidate if he takes the membership within 15 days (of election).”
Notably, Saran Teachers’ constituency was also contested by JD(U)’s Anand Pushkar on behalf of the BJP-led NDA, while Ram Pukar Sinha of the RLM, another partner of the ruling coalition, was in the fray as a rebel candidate.
Speaking on the occasion, Brajwasi said, “I took the decision to join the BJP following a discussion with the chief minister, who convinced me that I would be able to raise the issues of my constituency better upon joining the party.”
Brajwasi, who defeated JD(U)’s Abhishek Jha for the second consecutive time to retain his seat, also made light of his past soft stance towards RJD working president Tejaswi Yadav, who is the leader of the INDIA bloc in Bihar.
“It is wrong to say that I have been praising Tejashwi Yadav or any other politician. My appreciation has always been for policies, irrespective of political affiliations,” Brajwasi claimed.
(PTI News)
