Bihar Assembly Elections: 9 women, Deputy CMs, ministers and some surprises in BJP's first list

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday announced its first list of candidates for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, marking the formal start of its campaign in the state. The list includes several prominent faces, including both Deputy Chief Ministers, while also signalling a generational shift with the denial of tickets to a number of senior leaders.

Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Sinha will contest from Tarapur and Lakhisarai, respectively. Health minister Mangal Pandey will contest from Siwan, and senior party leader and also a minister Nitin Nabin, will once again contest from Bankipur.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Renu Devi has been fielded from Bettiah, while Trivikram Singh will contest from Aurangabad. Shooter-turned-politician Shreyasi Singh has been given the ticket from Jamui, and former Union Minister Ramkripal Yadav will contest from Danapur.

Generational shift: Nand Kishore Yadav denied ticket

In a major move, the party has denied a ticket to seven-time MLA and current Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav, who represents the Patna Sahib Assembly seat. The veteran leader, one of the most recognizable BJP faces in Bihar, took the decision with grace.

In a video message shared on social media, Yadav said, “I stand by the BJP’s decision. The party has given me a lot. I have no complaints. I congratulate the new generation and thank the people of Patna Sahib for their love and trust over the years.”

The BJP has reportedly dropped 16 sitting MLAs in this first list, signalling its intent to refresh the party’s line-up ahead of the high-stakes election. Among those denied tickets are Mithilesh Kumar (Sitamarhi Urban), Motilal Prasad (Riga), Atul Kumar (Vikram), Amarendra Pratap Singh (Ara), Arun Sinha (Kumhrar), and Nikki Hembram (Katoria).

Nine women candidates in first list

The party has also emphasized women’s representation, giving tickets to nine women candidates. The list includes Renu Devi, Gayatri Devi, Aruna Devi, Rama Nishad, Shreyasi Singh, Devanti Yadav, Nisha Singh, Kavita Devi, and Sweety Singh.

Here is the complete list of 71 candidates announced today.