Bihar CM Nitish talks to Odisha CM over RS deputy chairperson election, seeks BJD's support

BHUBANESHWAR: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar today talked to Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik requesting him for BJD's support in an election to the deputy chairperson of Rajya Sabha scheduled on August 9.

Harivansh Narayan Singh of the JD(U) is likely to be the NDA's candidate for the post, though an announcement in this regard is yet to be made. Sources said that with neither the NDA nor the UPA having

a majority in the Rajya



Sabha, the BJP led coalition can scrape through if it has the support of BJD and TRS.

Sources, however, said that the BJD is yet to take a decision over the issue. A decision on BJD's stand on the election is likely to be taken tomorrow.

The post of the Deputy Chairman has been lying vacant since July this year following the retirement of PJ Kurien, who was elected to the Upper House of Parliament on a Congress ticket from Kerala.