PATNA, Feb. 28 -- As the Rajya Sabha polls, slated for March 16, draw near, the opposition INDIA bloc is generating as much curiosity as the ruling NDA. The sole candidate the bloc can field has become the centre of speculation, with several names making the rounds.

The state has to elect 5 MPs to replace those retiring on April 9.

Insiders in the RJD hint at various possibilities. One senior leader said that the party could opt for one of the two retiring MPs -- Prem Chand Gupta (his fifth term) and Amarendra Dhari Singh (a first-time MP). But others say the party might pick either an OBC or a Muslim candidate to strike a suitable equation to garner the support of required legislators.

Among the Muslim faces making the rounds is Hina ...