Patna,(BiharTimes): The Janata Dal (United) may not field its candidate for the by-poll for three Rajya Sabha seats, which is scheduled later this month. 

Sources said that the party may just put up its national chief, Sharad Yadav, and leave the two other seats as it fears defeat of its candidates because of widespread revolt and possibility of cross-voting.

The speculation got credence after the statement given by the party spokesman, Neeraj Kumar, MLC, who patched up his relationship with the party leadership after his meeting with former chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday. He finally withdrew his resignation from the post of spokesman.

Neeraj said on Saturday: “I am requesting the party not to field any candidate as the seats did not belong to us. The three seats, which got vacant were that of BJP, LJP and RJD.”. 

His statement is being interpreted as the acceptance of defeat by the Janata Dal (United) as only on Friday the party leader K C Tyagi dropped enough hint of the JD(U) supporting the candidature of the Congress general secretary, Dr Shakeel Ahmed.

The three seats got vacated after the election to Lok Sabha of Rajiv Pratap Rudy of the BJP, Ram Vilas Paswan of the LJP and Ram Kripal Yadav of RJD––he latter joined the BJP. 

Neeraj’s statement is being considered as official and not personal. The party may not leave all the three seats, but is likely to field just one candidate, Sharad Yadav, who may get even the votes of the rebels as they have announced. The term of all these seats expire in mid-2016.

As the rebels are on the warpath the JD(U) leadership appears to have realized that any candidate from outside is likely to lose. 

Reports said that former Rajya Sabha MP, Sabir Ali and another person with a strong political connection are likely to contest as Independents. They may get the support of the rebel JD(U) MLAs as well as that of the BJP.

As the rebels have forced the former chief minister Nitish Kumar to go on the backfoot by putting pressure to stall the entry of any more defectors and by demanding the expulsion of R C P Sinha, Lallan Singh, Lallan Saraf and Sanjay Gandhi––the last three being newly inducted ministers––political observers feel that any split in the party can not be totally ruled out.