Finance
Following the completion of the seat-sharing agreement within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unveiled its initial list of 71 candidates for the next Bihar Assembly election in 2025.
The list includes several notable figures, including the state’s two Deputy Chief Ministers and two past Deputy Chief Ministers.
Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary will run from Tarapur in Munger district, and Vijay Kumar Sinha from Lakhisarai.
Former Deputy Chief Ministers Tarkishore Prasad of Katihar and Renu Devi of Bettiah in West Champaran district have been fielded.
The party has also renominated international shooter and current MLA Shreyasi Singh for the Jamui seat.
In a significant addition, the BJP has fielded two former Members of Parliament: Ram Kripal Yadav from Danapur in Patna district, and Sunil Kumar Pintu from Sitamarhi.
Pintu previously represented Sitamarhi in the Lok Sabha, however due to the NDA seat-sharing mechanism in 2024, the parliamentary seat passed to the JDU, and Devesh Chandra Thakur ran in 2024.
The list also includes Sidhartha Saurav, a former Congress renegade who ran for Bikram in the 2020 Assembly elections.
He joined the NDA in 2024 and helped save the Nitish Kumar government during the floor test.
Saurav, along with fellow Congress rebel Sangeeta Kumari, joined the BJP a few days ago and has since been fielded from Bikram.
Other prominent candidates are Vishal Prashant from Tarari, former Minister Prem Kumar from Gaya City, Virendra Singh from Wazirganj, Anil Singh from Husua, and Aruna Devi from Warsaliganj in Nawada district.
Mangal Pandey, the Health Minister, has been awarded the ticket for Siwan, while Nitin Naveen will run for Bankipur in Patna district.
Krishna Kumar Rishi will run from Banmankhi, Jivesh Kumar Mishra from Jale, Sanjay Saraogi from Darbhanga, Haribhushan Thakur Bachaul from Bithan in Madhubani district, Neeraj Kumar Singh Bablu from Chatapur, and Industry Minister Nitish Mishra from Jhanjharpur in Madhubani district.
Party insiders say the BJP’s first list strikes a mix between veteran leaders and newcomers, while also recognizing loyalty and electoral performance. The remaining list of candidates is expected to be released shortly.
Source: IANS
