The ruling BJP government for the byelection to a Rajya Sabha seat in Bihar has named former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi as its candidate, on Friday. Modi's election to the Rajya Sabha is all but certain as the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance has a majority in the state Assembly. If the rival alliance led by the RJD decides to contest then the constituency will see the election on December 14. 

The seat had become vacant due to the death of Ram Vilas Paswan, Lok Janshakti Party LJP founder and Union minister. After his demisal, the LJP standing out of the Bihar NDA owing to the decision to fight on its own targetting Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led JD(U), a BJP ally, the saffron party has decided to reclaim the seat which it had offered to Paswan from its alliance quota. 

The BJP leadership had decided to not have Modi, one of its most prominent leaders in Bihar, continue as deputy minister in the state government after the recent Assembly polls. Rather the party chose two other leaders, Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi, as his replacement which was considered as an attempt by the party to infuse a new crop of leadership in the state. 

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