The BJP has announced its first list of 71 candidates for the Bihar Assembly Election 2025, highlighting loyalty, experience, and a stand against dynastic politics, with key leaders like Samrat Choudhury and Vijay Kumar Sinha contesting again.
The BJP has announced its first list of 71 candidates for the Bihar Assembly Election 2025, highlighting loyalty, experience, and a stand against dynastic politics, with key leaders like Samrat Choudhury and Vijay Kumar Sinha contesting again.(File Photo)
NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday released its first list of 71 candidates for the Bihar Assembly election, underscoring its focus on loyalty and a firm stand against dynastic nominations — a message set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and reiterated by election in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan during his recent Patna visit.
Both Deputy Chief Ministers — Samrat Choudhury from Tarapur and Vijay Kumar Sinha from Lakhisarai — will contest, alongside senior leaders Renu Devi (Bettiah), Tarkishore Prasad (Katihar), Mangal Pandey (Siwan) and Dr. Prem Kumar (Gaya), who will be contesting for the ninth time.
The list also features other established names like Ram Kripal Yadav (Danapur), Krishna Kumar Rishi (Banmankhi), Jibesh Kumar Mishra (Jale), Dr. Sanjeev Chourasia (Digha), Nitin Navin (Bankipur) Nitish Mishra (Jhanjharpur) and Dr. Sunil Kumar (Biharsharif).
Among the new faces are Sanjay Kumar Gupta (Kumhrar), Ratnesh Khuswaha (Patna Sahib) and Trivikram Singh (Aurangabad) — all contesting for the first time and described by party sources as long-time workers.
Tickets have been denied to five-time MLA Arun Kumar Sinha (Kumhrar) and five-time MLA Nand Kishore Yadav (Patna Sahib), both veteran Patna leaders, in keeping with the party’s decision not to allow senior figures to be replaced by their kin.
The BJP has not announced a candidate from Alipur, where singer Maithili Thakur’s prospective candidature faced local opposition.
The list includes nine women candidates among the 71 names. The BJP has said it will contest 101 seats in the upcoming election, leaving the rest to its NDA allies.
As per the caste composition, 11 are from the EBC, 20 from OBC, and at least six from the SC-ST community.
In the first list, there are no parachute entrants, reflecting the party’s preference for tested loyalty and long-standing association over outside prominence.
Many party leaders, functionaries- both at the centre and the state- who were camping in Delhi till Sunday in an attempt to secure a ticket have been left disappointed. This includes senior Central party functionaries, former union ministers and spokespersons.
