Two newly elected Independent Bihar MLCs announced they had joined the BJP. Opposition parties say the move warrants disqualification under the anti-defection law.Opposition seeks disqualification of 2 Independent MLCs over BJP switchPatna,Nov 1, 2026 20:00 ISTThe BJP faced criticism from Opposition parties in Bihar on Sunday after two newly elected Independent members of the legislative council announced that they had joined the ruling party, news agency Press Trust of India reported.
The Opposition demanded their disqualification under the anti-defection law.Bansidhar Brajwasi, who retained the Tirhut Graduatesā seat for a second consecutive term, and Rahul Raj, a BJP rebel who won the Saran Teachersā seat as an Independent, made the announcement at a meeting of BJP legislators on Saturday evening.Raj had contested as an Independent after the Saran Teachersā constituency was allotted to the BJPās NDA ally, the JD(U). The two MLCs also posed for photographs at the BJP office with the partyās membership slips and saffron scarves bearing its lotus symbol.Tejashwi Yadav, the Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, accused the two legislators of violating the anti-defection law.
Yadav, a former deputy chief minister and the RJDās national working president, also accused the BJP of āmaking a mockery of the Constitutionā. He said the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which deals with defection, clearly states that legislators elected as Independents face disqualification if they join a political party.RJD national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha said at a press conference that a party delegation would meet the chairman of the Bihar Legislative Council and approach the Election Commission over the matter, PTI reported.
The Prashant Kishor-led Jan Suraaj Party, which is not part of any alliance but opposes the BJP-led NDA, also criticised the ruling party.Its national spokesperson Kumar Saurabh said, āThis is the most cruel and vulgar joke ever played on constitutional democracy in India. It is an attempt at perception management by the BJP, which had performed dismally in the recently held biennial elections to eight seats of the Bihar Legislative Council.āThe BJP, which previously held three of the eight seats, contested four and won two.
Its ally JD(U) contested the remaining seats and won one. The RJD won two seats, while the Jan Suraaj Party secured one, marking its first presence in the Upper House.Saurabh rejected statements by several BJP leaders that the two Independent MLCs had not joined the party and had only extended their support.āStatements given by the two MLCs to the media leave no scope for interpretation.
We have also saved their photographs in which their membership slips are clearly visible. These will be presented to the Vidhan Parishad chairman and the Election Commission,ā he said.āThe Supreme Court has made it clear through a number of judgements that such violations of the anti-defection law must be acted upon within three months.
If that does not happen in this case, we shall move the apex court,ā Saurabh said.The controversy centres on whether Brajwasi and Raj joined the BJP or merely extended support to it, with the RJD and Jan Suraaj Party seeking action under the anti-defection law.- Ends