Bihar polls: BJP fields both deputy CMs in first list, senior ministers renominated

The BJP on Tuesday released the first list of 71 candidates for the two-phase Bihar Assembly elections, fielding both Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, besides other seniors.

While Sinha has been renominated from MLA seat of Lakhisarai, Chaudhary, an MLC, has been fielded from Tarapur.

The BJP is contesting 101 seats out of 243 in the state as per the seat-sharing arrangement with the state's ruling NDA partners. The list retains a majority of the sitting MLAs with the signal being one of stability as far as the nominations go. The party is not willing to take too many risks.

The list has nine women candidates out of 71, which makes women's representation a meagre 12 per cent. Also in the list are senior BJP Bihar leaders Renu Devi, Tarakishor Prasad, Nitin Nabin,  Mangal Pandey among others. Renu Devi, Nitin Nabin and Mangal Pandey are cabinet ministers in the outgoing Bihar council of ministers. Devi and Nabin have been fielded from their current segments of Bettiah, Bankipur.

Veteran leader and ex-deputy CM Prasad will defend Katihar, minister Shreyasi Singh Jamui. Mangal Pandey, MLC and former state chief of the BJP, has been fielded from Siwan.

It remains to be seen whom the NDA fields against RJD leader Tajashwi Yadav who won Raghopur with a margin of over 38,009 votes in 2020 defeating his nearest BJP rival Satish Kumar.