Patna, Aug 21 (Reporter) Manan Kumar Mishra, Chairman of Bar Council of India and Upendra Kushwaha National President of Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) on Wednesday filed their nominations as NDA candidate for the byelection to Rajya Sabha from Bihar. Accompanied by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and both Deputy Chief Ministers Vijay Kumar Sinha and Samrat Choudhary and other senior leaders of NDA, Mishra and Kushwaha filed their papers before the state assembly secretary. The byelection for the two Rajya Sabha seats were being held following the resignation of former BJP Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Thakur and former RJD Rajya Sabha MP Misa Bharti as they had elected to the Lok Sabha. The term of Thakur was due to expire on April 9, 2026 and of Bharti on July 7, 2028. As per the strength in the state assembly, the ruling NDA can comfortably win both of the seats. With 128 legislators, the NDA has a comfortable majority whereas the Grand Alliance has only 115 voters. The nomination papers would be scrutinised on August 22. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is August 27. If required the voting would take place on September 3 and the counting of votes will be done the same evening. Mishra who hails from Gopalganj, was a prominent lawyer and began his career in the legal field from Patna High court in the year 1982. He was elected as Bihar State Bar Council member and then represented Bihar in the Bar Council of India. Later he was elected Chairman of the Bar Council of India. Mishra was associated with the Congress party and was in the legal cell of AICC also.Later, he was a Bahujan Samaj Party candidate for the Lok Sabha election from Valmikinagar. RLM Chief Kushwaha contested the Karakat Lok Sabha seat in the recently concluded election but cameat the third position. Raja Ram Kushwaha of CPI(ML) won from Karakat seatwhereas Pawan Singh (Independent), a Bhojpuri superstar and singer was the runner-up. Kushwaha, had however, won the lok sabha election on NDA ticket in 2014...////...