RJD names Manoj Jha, Ashfaque Karim as candidates for RS polls

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) today named its national spokesman Manoj Jha and Ashfaque Karim, managing director of the Katihar Medical College and Hospital, as its candidates from Bihar for the upcoming Rajya Sabha biennial elections.
There are six vacancies in the Rajya Sabha from Bihar, polling for which will be held on March 23.
RJD's Bihar unit president Ram Chandra Purbey announced here at the party office that Jha, a Delhi University professor, and Karim would be the party's candidates for Rajya Sabha election.
Both would file their nomination papers tomorrow at 11 am, Purbey said, adding that "(RJD) national president Lalu Prasad has chosen them as candidates".

Ashfaque Karim set up a medical college in the state which helped many students of Bihar in realising their dreams of becoming doctors, Purbey said.
"The selection of candidates show that we not only believe in inclusive development, but also try to accommodate and take every section of the society with it," he said.

Tomorrow is the last date for filing nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha elections, and March 15 for withdrawal of candidature.
Apart from the RJD, the BJP has announced the name of Union Minister for Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad as its candidate for the RS poll, whereas the JD(U), the BJP's ally, has not named its candidates for two seats.

Congress is yet to name its candidate.