Congress Unveils Second Bihar Candidate List Amid Alliance Rift

Congress party dropped its second list of candidates for the Bihar Assembly elections, naming five fresh faces for critical constituencies, signaling a bold move amid escalating tensions within the opposition INDIA bloc. The new nominees—Shaswat Kedar Pandey (Narkatiaganj), Qamrul Hoda (Kishanganj), Irfan Alam (Kasba), Jitender Yadav (Purnia), and Mohan Shrivastava (Gaya Town)—join the 48 candidates announced on October 17, bringing Congress's total to 53. With the 243-seat assembly polls set for November 6 and 11 and results due on November 14, this strategic release, shared via the All India Congress Committee’s X handle, underscores the party’s resolve to carve out a strong presence despite alliance frictions. The selections blend youth and experience, with three minority candidates aimed at consolidating diverse voter bases in a state grappling with unemployment, migration, and contentious voter list revisions.

The candidate lineup reflects Congress’s calculated approach to target winnable seats. Shaswat Kedar Pandey, a dynamic Paschim Champaran leader, takes on Narkatiaganj, a seat pivotal for its urban-rural mix and border trade significance. Qamrul Hoda, a minority rights advocate, aims to reclaim Kishanganj from AIMIM’s growing influence, while Irfan Alam, a Kosi region organizer, contests Kasba to address flood-related woes and joblessness. Jitender Yadav, a Yadav community stalwart, fights for Purnia’s urban vote, and Mohan Shrivastava, a governance veteran, targets Gaya Town’s pilgrimage economy. A Congress insider revealed that the list, finalized after intense Congress Election Committee debates, prioritizes constituencies with robust party networks, signaling a defiant stance as seat-sharing talks with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) falter, with “friendly fights” emerging in six constituencies like Lalganj and Biharsharif.

The INDIA bloc’s disarray is a growing liability, with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) exiting on October 18 to contest six seats independently after demanding 12, citing “strategic differences.” The CPI(ML) Liberation’s separate list of 20 candidates further exposes the bloc’s fragmentation, while Congress’s claim of a “finalized” seat-sharing deal rings hollow amid on-ground clashes. Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)—comprising BJP, JD(U), LJP(RV), HAM(S), and RLM—has surged ahead, locking in 101 seats each for BJP and JD(U), 29 for LJP(RV), and six each for HAM(S) and RLM. The NDA’s swift candidate announcements, including BJP’s 71 and JD(U)’s full 101, contrast with the opposition’s chaos, though Amit Shah’s vague comment on the CM post hints at post-poll maneuvering under Nitish Kumar’s leadership.

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Adding volatility is Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party (JSP), contesting all 243 seats with a reformist agenda. Its second list of 65 candidates, 90% first-timers chosen via primaries, aims to disrupt both NDA and INDIA vote banks, raising fears of a hung assembly like 2005. Bihar’s 7.5 crore voters face pressing issues: 75 lakh migrants, rising crimes against marginalized groups, and a Supreme Court battle over voter list revisions accused of targeting minorities. As Congress pushes forward—building on its first list featuring state chief Rajesh Ram (Kutumba) and CLP leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan (Kadwa)—the INDIA bloc’s fractures could cede ground to the NDA. With nominations closing (October 17 for phase one, October 20 for phase two), Bihar’s November showdown is a high-stakes gamble where Congress’s latest move could either rally voters or deepen the opposition’s disarray.

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