PATNA, May 1 -- BJP leader Surya Kumar Sharma, also known as Arvind Sharma, filed his nomination for the by-election of one seat of the Bihar Legislative Council scheduled on May 12. The seat became vacant after former health minister Mangal Pandey was elected in the 2025 assembly polls. Since the Opposition has not fielded any candidate, Sharma's unopposed election looks certain. Sharma filed his nomination papers in presence of chief minister Samrat Choudhary, deputy chief minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, state BJP president Sanjay Saraogi and other NDA leaders. BJP state president Sanjay Saraogi and former health minister Mangal Pandey said it was a matter of pride that a committed worker of the state BJP had been nominated for the MLC bypoll. Saraogi said the Opposition did not field any candidate knowing well that the NDA has a clear edge to win the seat due to its large majority in the state assembly. Sharma, the sole candidate for the one MLC seat from the legislative quota bypoll, will likely be elected unopposed on May 4, which is the last date for withdrawal of nomination. The scrutiny of the nomination papers will take place on May 2. The BJP's decision to field its own candidate in the bypoll ended speculation that Deepak Prakash, son of Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) chief and Rajya Sabha MP Uprendra Kushwaha, would be the NDA candidate for the seat. Prakash was made a minister in the NDA government formed in November, 2025 led by former chief minister Nitish Kumar, even though the 36-year-old RLM leader was neither an MLA or an MLC. Now, as the extension of the Samrat Choudhary cabinet is due any time, it will be interesting to see whether Prakash finds a place in it. However, insiders maintain that Prakash's inclusion in the full-fledged cabinet, which is very likely to be formed in the first week of May, is all but certain. "As far as his election to any of the legislative houses is concerned, he will have a chance to enter one once more seats become vacant in June this year. Prakash is likely to be made an MLC in the biennial polls as nine vacancies are coming soon. The NDA has the numbers to win at least seven to eight of these seats," said a senior JD(U) leader aware of the happenings....