JD(U) Releases Final 44 Candidate List, Strengthens NDA Position
NDA allies clash over seats as key players file papers and PK bows out dramatically.
In a high-stakes move that solidifies its position in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)), led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, released its second and final list of 44 candidates on Thursday, completing nominations for all 101 seats allocated under the alliance's seat-sharing agreement. The list features prominent figures including state JD(U) chief Umesh Kushwaha from Mahanar, Rural Development Minister Shravan Kumar from Nalanda, and Sunil Kumar from Bhore (SC), alongside ministers like Sheila Mandal, Vijendra Prasad Yadav, Leshi Singh, Jayant Raj, and Mohd Zama Khan. Other notable inclusions are Dharendra Pratap Singh alias Rinku Singh from Valmikinagar, Sammridh Verma from Sikta, and Shalini Mishra from Kesariya. With nine women candidates, the announcement underscores the party's push for gender representation as nominations for the first phase close on October 17.
The release comes amid simmering tensions within the NDA, just days after the alliance finalized its seat-sharing on October 12—granting BJP and JD(U) 101 seats each, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) (LJP-RV) led by Chirag Paswan 29 seats, and smaller allies Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) six each. On Wednesday, BJP leaders faced backlash from RLM chief Upendra Kushwaha and HAM leader Jitan Ram Manjhi, who decried the "disproportionate" allocation favoring LJP-RV, prompting urgent re-negotiations. Kushwaha declared "nothing is well in NDA," while Manjhi vowed to field candidates against LJP-RV in Bodh Gaya and Makhdumpur, potentially fracturing the coalition's unity. JD(U) itself reclaimed five seats initially eyed by LJP-RV, including Rajgir, highlighting Nitish Kumar's firm stance in the intra-alliance power play.
As the NDA grapples with discord, opposition heavyweights advanced their campaigns. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav filed nomination papers from Raghopur in Vaishali district on Wednesday, aiming for a third consecutive term in the Yadav-dominated seat previously held by his parents, Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi. Accompanied by his family amid a sea of supporters showering flower petals along the 40-km route from Patna, Yadav declared, "This nomination marks a new chapter of development for Raghopur and Bihar," while rubbishing rumors of contesting multiple seats and vowing to eradicate unemployment through one government job per family. On the NDA side, Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Vijay Kumar Sinha submitted his papers from Lakhisarai, joined by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary, dismissing alliance rifts as "Maha Thugbandhan" confusion and affirming NDA's focus on service.
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Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor stunned observers by announcing he would not contest the polls, opting instead to spearhead organizational efforts and campaign for party candidates. Fielding Chanchal Kumar—a former JD(U) member—against Yadav in Raghopur, Kishor set an ambitious 150-seat target for his debutant outfit, predicting Nitish Kumar's ouster and NDA's defeat. "If Jan Suraaj wins Bihar, it will reshape national politics," he asserted, emphasizing proportional representation in his second candidate list. With polls slated for November 6 and 11, and counting on November 14, Bihar's 243-seat battle intensifies, pitting NDA's fragile unity against a fragmented Mahagathbandhan still negotiating seat shares.
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