NEW DELHI: In the run-up to the Bihar Assembly elections, the Janata Dal (United) on Thursday unveiled its second list comprising 44 candidates for the upcoming Bihar Assembly Elections 2025. With this announcement, the party has now finalized its slate for all 101 constituencies allocated to it under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)’s seat-sharing formula. Earlier, the JD(U) had released its first list that included the names of 57 candidates.
The JD(U)’s second list features several prominent figures. Dharendra Pratap Singh, popularly known as Rinku Singh, has been fielded from Valmikinagar, while Sammridh Verma will contest from Sikta. Vishal Shah has been nominated from Narkatiya, Shalini Mishra from Kesariya, Shweta Gupta from Shivhar, and Nagendra Raut from Sursand, among several others.
The second list also highlights the JD(U)’s effort to ensure broader social representation, with four Muslim candidates receiving party nominations. Shagufta Azim will contest from Araria, Manzar Alam from Jokihat, Saba Zafar from Aamro, and Jama Khan from Chainpur. Additionally, Vibha Devi, who recently quit the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) to join the JD(U), has been nominated from the Nawada Assembly constituency. Devi, the wife of former minister Rajballabh Yadav, had earlier won the 2020 Assembly election on an RJD ticket and served as an MLA.
The JD(U) has also chosen Pappu Kumar Verma as its candidate for the Kurtha constituency in Jehanabad district. Verma had previously contested the 2020 elections from Kurtha on an RLSP ticket. Among the other notable candidates, Chetan Anand will contest from Nabinagar, while Manorama Devi has been fielded from Belaganj. The party has also re-nominated Leshi Singh from the Dhamdaha Assembly seat in Purnia district. Interestingly, all three constituencies in Purnia — Dhamdaha, Aamro, and Rupauli — have been allocated to the JD(U), with Kaladhar Mandal contesting from Rupauli.
Earlier on Wednesday, the JD(U) had released its first list containing 57 names for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly polls. This list included 15 new faces, while the party changed its candidates in 28 constituencies and retained them in 29 others. Prominent leaders featured in the list include JD(U) state president Umesh Khushwaha, who has been fielded from Mahanar, and Bihar’s Rural Development Minister Shravan Kumar from Nalanda. Sunil Kumar will contest from the Bhore (SC) seat.
The first list also comprised six ministers and four women candidates. However, four sitting MLAs were denied tickets, while 17 MLAs who had won the 2020 elections were re-nominated. Additionally, LJP MLA Rajkumar Singh has been fielded from Matihani, while RJD’s former MLA Anant Singh, who recently joined the JD(U), has been given a ticket from Mokama.
Meanwhile, the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM), headed by former Union Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha, has announced its list of six candidates for the upcoming Bihar elections. As per the official release issued by State General Secretary Subhash Chandravanshi, the RLM has fielded Tittu from Basopatti in Siwan district, Mayank Anand from Madhubani, and Alok Kumar Singh from Dinara in Rohtas district. Other candidates include Prashant Kumar Paswan from Ujiarpur in Samastipur, Meenakshi from Sasaram in Rohtas, and another candidate named Tittu from Paroo in Muzaffarpur.
Significantly, the ruling NDA finalized its seat-sharing arrangement on Sunday. Under this agreement, both the BJP and JD(U) will contest 101 seats each, while the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) has been allocated 29 seats. The Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) have been allotted six seats each.
Bihar will go to polls in two phases — on November 6 and November 11 — with the counting of votes scheduled for November 14. As per the final electoral rolls, the state now has a total of 7.42 crore registered voters, setting the stage for a highly competitive and closely watched election that will decide the political course of Bihar for the next five years.
