Jharkhand: Ruling alliance names former JMM MLA Sarfaraz Ahmad as RS candidate

Former JMM MLA Sarfaraz Ahmad to contest Rajya Sabha elections in Jharkhand, confirmed by party spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya.

Former JMM MLA Sarfaraz Ahmad will be the INDIA bloc candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections in the State, party spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said in Ranchi.

Ahmad (70) is set to file his nomination on Monday. His candidacy was confirmed following a meeting at CM Champai Soren's residence, which was attended by senior Congress leaders.

The BJP had already named Pradeep Verma, the party's Jharkhand general secretary, as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha election on Saturday.

The biennial election for the two Rajya Sabha seats from the state is scheduled for March 21, an official said.

The tenure of the current Rajya Sabha MPs from the State, Samir Oraon of the BJP and Diraj Prasad Sahu of the Congress, is set to end on May 3, necessitating fresh elections to fill the vacancies.

Based on the numerical strength of the state assembly, comprising 81 members, both the ruling alliance and the opposition are expected to secure one seat each in the upcoming polls.

Mr. Ahmad, who holds a PhD, tendered his resignation from the Jharkhand Assembly on December 31, citing personal reasons. He has a long history in politics, having been first elected as an MLA in 1980 in undivided Bihar and serving as a Member of Parliament from 1984 to 1989 representing Giridih.