Misa Bharti had contested the 2014 national election from Bihar's Patliputra, but lost to BJP's Ram Kripal Yadav
Highlights
- Lalu Yadav nominates daughter Misa as RJD candidate for Rajya Sabha
- He also nominates lawyer Ram Jethmalani
- His sons Tejaswi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav are ministers in Bihar
Lalu Yadav's daughter Misa Bharti is headed to the Rajya Sabha in what is seen as a deft balancing act by Daddy Yadav, whose political family is expanding. Sons Tejaswi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav are ministers in the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar.
Misa, 40, was reportedly picked by Lalu Yadav over wife Rabri Devi to be one of the two lawmakers that the Rashtriya Janata Dal will send to the Upper House of Parliament; the other is famous lawyer and BJP baiter Ram Jethmalani, who handles Mr Yadav's legal cases.
The nomination to the Rajya Sabha is being seen as a second attempt to catapult Misa on to the national political stage. Ms Bharti will serve as the face of the party in Delhi.
Misa Bharti, the oldest of nine children, had contested the 2014 national election from Bihar's Patliputra, considered a safe seat for the Yadav family. But she lost to Ram Kripal Yadav, an old Lalu aide who stomped off to the BJP, when the RJD decided to field Misa instead of him. Ram Kripal Yadav is now a minister at the Centre.
Lalu Yadav is a former Bihar chief minister but cannot contest elections as he was convicted in a criminal case. His wife Rabri Devi too is a former chief minister who contested the national election two years ago and lost.
Their second son Tejaswi is now Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister at 26 and his older brother Tej Pratap Yadav is the state's Health Minister. Both made their electoral debut in the assembly elections of November last, but their party's superior showing won their father much power to negotiate prime posts for them. Misa had played key strategist and star campaigner for her brothers.
The RJD won 80 of Bihar's 243 seats to become the single largest party after contesting as part of what was called the Grand Alliance led by Nitish Kumar.
Of five Rajya Sabha vacancies in Bihar, the RJD will send two, Nitish Kumar's JD(U) will also send two and the BJP one.