The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has officially released its first list of 71 candidates for the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, setting the stage for a competitive electoral battle. Polling across the state’s 243 seats is slated for November 6 and November 11, with the counting of votes on November 14. This initial candidate announcement from the BJP is a critical component of its campaign strategy.
The political landscape is set to be dominated by the contest between the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan. The Mahagathbandhan, a coalition of opposition parties, is led by Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD and features the Congress, CPI (ML), CPI, CPM, and Mukesh Sahani’s VIP. A new entrant, Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj party, is also expected to play a role in influencing the electoral outcome.
Among the 71 nominated candidates, several key BJP leaders have been confirmed. Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary will contest from Tarapur. Another Deputy CM, Vijay Kumar Sinha, is nominated for Lakhisarai. State Minister Nitin Nabin is set to compete from Bankipur, and Renu Devi will run from Bettiah. The list further includes Gayatri Devi for Parihar, Neeraj Kumar Singh Bablu for Chhatapur, Tarkishore Prasad for Katihar, Mangal Pandey for Siwan, and Kundan Kumar for Begusarai.
In preparation for the elections, the NDA partners in Bihar have agreed upon a seat-sharing formula. The BJP and JDU will each contest 101 seats. The LJP (Ram Vilas) has been allocated 29 seats, while the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) will field candidates in six constituencies each. This pact underscores the alliance’s collaborative approach to the upcoming polls.
