It's RJD's Manoj Jha vs JD(U)'s Harivansh as Rajya Sabha set to elect Deputy Chairperson

New Delhi, Sep 13: Opposition parties have confirmed their support for the candidature of Rashtriya Janata Dal's Manoj Jha for the Rajya Sabha deputy chairman's election, to be held on 14 September.

RJD's Manoj Jha will contest against NDA''s nominee Harivansh of the JD(U). Harivansh was the RS deputy chairman till his previous term ended. He has since been re-elected to the Upper House from Bihar.

Jha was teaching in the Delhi University when he entered politics and became a Rajya Sabha MP. He is also the national spokesperson for the Rashtriya Janata Dal.

The RS deputy chairman''s election will witness a battle between the two regional players, RJD and JD(U), in Bihar which is slated to hold assembly elections soon.

The election for the post was necessitated as the incumbent Harivansh Narayan Singh had completed his term as a member of the Rajya Sabha in April this year. He was sent to the Upper House of Parliament again from Bihar.

In 2018, he had defeated Congress''s BK Hariprasad and was elected the deputy chairman.

Harivansh Narayan Singh is likely to be elected to the post again as BJP floor managers are confident of securing the support of about 140 MPs, including the fence-sitters YSR Congress, TRS and BJD.

The strength of the BJP-led NDA has also gradually increased to more than 114 in the House with an effective strength of 244 members as there is one vacancy.

Floor managers of NDA are trying to build a consensus among all parties so that Harivansh Narayan Singh could be elected unanimously.

The Congress has decided that the opposition will put up a joint candidate for the post and it will reach out to various parties in this regard.

BJD has nine members in the Rajya Sabha of the 10 seats from Odisha, while the other one is held by the BJP.

BJP''s Ashiwini Baishnab was elected to the Rajya Sabha with the support of the BJD in June last year.