Uday Narayan Rai
{{Short description|Indian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Uday Narayan Rai
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| office = Member of Bihar Legislative Assembly
| term_start = 1980
| term_end = 1995
| predecessor = Babu Lal Shastri
| successor = Lalu Prasad Yadav
| constituency = Raghopur
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| nationality = Indian
| party = Janata Dal (United) (since September 2020)
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| occupation = Politician
| nickname = Bhola Babu, Bhola Rai
| otherparty = Rashtriya Janata Dal (until 2020)
}}
Uday Narayan Rai, also known as Bhola Babu and Bhola Rai,{{Cite web |date=2020-10-14 |title=Bihar Assembly Election 2020: Tejashwi Yadav files nomination papers from Raghopur |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/bihar-election/bihar-assembly-election-2020-tejashwi-yadav-to-file-nomination-papers-from-raghopur/story-jIIwnqtDN60Ho3SSNefdgP.html |access-date=2022-04-21 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}} is an Indian politician from the state of Bihar. He was a member of Bihar Legislative Assembly from Raghopur and served as a state cabinet minister in the governments of Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi. He was elected as the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) three times in the Bihar Assembly elections of 1980, 1985 and 1990.{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.in/bihar/assembly-constituencies/raghopur.html|title=Sitting and previous MLAs from Raghopur Assembly Constituency}}
Political career
Rai won the seat of Raghopur constituency for three consecutive terms in 1980,{{cite web |title=Raghopur Bihar Assembly Election 1980 – Latest News & Results |url=https://www.latestly.com/elections/assembly-elections/bihar/1980/raghopur/}} 1985{{cite web |title=Raghopur Bihar Assembly Election 1985 – Latest News & Results |url=https://www.latestly.com/elections/assembly-elections/bihar/1985/raghopur/}} and 1990.{{cite web |title=Raghopur Bihar Assembly Election 1990 – Latest News & Results |url=https://www.latestly.com/elections/assembly-elections/bihar/1990/raghopur/}} He vacated the seat upon the directive of Lalu Prasad Yadav in 1995 so that Lalu Prasad Yadav could contest from the constituency in the 1995 election. He served as a cabinet minister{{Clarify|reason=Which ministry?|date=April 2022}} in the governments of Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi.{{cite web |date=10 September 2020 |title=जिसने लालू यादव के लिए छोड़ दिया था राघोपुर सीट, अब तेजस्वी के खिलाफ फूंका बिगुल, पूर्व मंत्री उदय नारायण राय ने छोड़ी राजद |trans-title=Who had left Raghopur seat for Lalu Yadav, now blew a bugle against Tejashwi, former minister Uday Narayan Rai left RJD |url=https://www.jansatta.com/rajya/with-bihar-assembly-election-dates-coming-close-rjd-in-turmoil-as-senior-leader-uday-narayan-rai-close-aide-of-lalu-prasad-yadav-leaves-party-news-and-updates/1516694/ |access-date=21 April 2022 |website=Jansatta}}
In 2020, he quit Rashtriya Janata Dal following not being nominated as a Member of Legislative Council, and announced that he would support National Democratic Alliance (NDA) against Tejashwi Yadav, the incumbent MLA of Raghopur.{{Cite web |date=2 November 2020 |title=Bihar polls 2020: In Raghopur, Tejashwi Yadav's CM prospects carry much weight |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2020/nov/02/bihar-polls-2020-in-raghopur-tejashwi-yadavs-cm-prospects-carry-much-weight-2218141.html |access-date=21 April 2022 |website=The New Indian Express}} In September 2020, he joined Janata Dal (United).{{Cite news |date=12 September 2020 |title=2 Cong MLAs, RJD, RLSP leaders join JD(U) ahead of Bihar Assembly polls |work=Business Standard India |agency=Press Trust of India |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/elections/2-cong-mlas-rjd-rlsp-leaders-join-jd-u-ahead-of-bihar-assembly-polls-120091200026_1.html |access-date=21 April 2022}}