Credit: PTI Photo
Janata Dal United (JD(U)) on Wednesday released the first list of 57 candidates for the Bihar Assembly Elections, with several ministers like Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Sharwan Kumar, and Madan Sahni among nominees.
Ministers Ratnesh Sada and Maheshwar Hazari also featured on the list.
The list also includes turncoats like Shyam Rajak, who returned to the party, quitting RJD about a year ago, and don-turned politician Anant Kumar Singh, who had filed nomination papers from the Mokama assembly seat on Tuesday.
JD(U) state unit president Umesh Kushwaha has also been fielded from the Mahnar seat.
Kushwaha also filed his nomination papers on Tuesday.
According to the list, Madan Sahni has been fielded from the Badaurpur assembly seat, Ratnesh Sada from Sonbarsa, Maheshwar Hazari from Kalyanpur, Vijay Kumar Choudhary from Sarairanjan, and Shrawan Kumar from Nalanda.
The JD(U), headed by Nitish Kumar, who is seeking a record fifth consecutive term in office, agreed to contest 101 seats, the same number as the BJP, a former junior ally which has, over the years, especially since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rise to national prominence, expanded its footprints in the state.
On Tuesday, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) released their first list of 71 candidates.
The polls in Bihar will be held in two phases -- November 6 and 11 -- and the results will be out on November 14.