The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has commenced its campaign for the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections by releasing its first list of 71 candidates. The state-wide elections, encompassing all 243 Assembly seats, are scheduled to be held on November 6 and November 11, with the results to be declared on November 14. This move by the BJP signifies its readiness to engage in the electoral contest for power in Bihar.
The upcoming elections are anticipated to be a keenly fought contest, primarily between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Mahagathbandhan alliance. The Mahagathbandhan is spearheaded by Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD, and its constituents include the Congress, CPI (ML), CPI, CPM, and the VIP. The political strategist Prashant Kishor and his party, Jan Suraaj, are also entering the fray, adding an unpredictable dimension to the elections.
The BJP’s initial list of candidates includes prominent figures like Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, who will contest from Tarapur. Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha is set to run from Lakhisarai. State Minister Nitin Nabin will compete for the Bankipur seat, and Renu Devi is nominated for Bettiah. The roster also features Gayatri Devi (Parihar), Neeraj Kumar Singh Bablu (Chhatapur), Tarkishore Prasad (Katihar), Mangal Pandey (Siwan), and Kundan Kumar (Begusarai), among others.
Earlier, the NDA alliance members in Bihar had reached a consensus on seat distribution. The BJP and JDU have agreed to contest 101 seats each. The LJP (Ram Vilas) has been allotted 29 seats, while the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) will contest six seats each. This seat-sharing arrangement is crucial for the NDA’s electoral prospects in Bihar.