The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) announced its candidate list for the Bihar Assembly Polls 2025 on Monday, fielding nominees for 143 seats as seat-sharing negotiations within the Mahagathbandhan alliance remain unresolved. The list was released on the final day for filing nominations for the second phase.
RDJ releases 143-candidate list
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav will contest from Raghopur assembly constituency in Vaishali district. Other prominent candidates include Chandra Shekhar from Madhepura, Veena Devi from Mokama, and Uday Narayan Chaudhary from Jhajha. Veena Devi is the wife of Surabhan, according to the candidate roster.
The RJD is contesting one fewer seat compared to 2020, when it fielded candidates in 144 constituencies. The party had distributed symbols to candidates before officially announcing the list, citing ongoing alliance disputes.
Bihar’s assembly elections are scheduled for November 6 and 11, with results to be declared on November 14.
Congress released its sixth candidate list post-midnight Monday, bringing its total announced candidates to 60. The latest list includes Surendra Prasad Kushwaha from Valmiki Nagar, Abidur Rehman from Araria, Jalil Mastan from Amour, Tauquir Alam from Barari, Praveen Singh Kushwaha from Kahalgaon, and Vinod Chaudhary from Sikandra (SC).
Congress had previously released 48 candidates Thursday, including state president Rajesh Ram from Kutumba and legislative party leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan from Kadwa. Additional candidates were announced Friday and Saturday, with Rishi Mishra fielded from Jale among others.
The delayed announcements reflect ongoing seat-sharing complications within the Mahagathbandhan. Both RJD and Congress have continued distributing party symbols despite the absence of a formal alliance agreement.
Internal tensions have surfaced within both parties, with disgruntled aspirants alleging that leadership has put tickets up for sale. These accusations highlight organizational challenges ahead of the polls.
The simultaneous candidate announcements by both parties, without a finalized seat-sharing arrangement, suggest potential overlap in constituencies. Monday marked the deadline for filing nomination papers for the election’s second and final phase.
The unresolved alliance dynamics may impact the opposition’s electoral strategy in a state where coalition strength traditionally plays a crucial role in poll outcomes.