The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday, October 14, announced its first list of 71 candidates for the Bihar Assembly elections scheduled for November 6 and 11, featuring a mix of experienced legislators and a handful of new entrants.
The list includes nine women and two Deputy Chief Ministers, reflecting both continuity and limited recalibration within the party’s electoral strategy.Majority of Candidates Retained from 2020
Of the 71 names, around 50 are repeat candidates who had contested the 2020 Assembly elections. Among them are Sanjay Saraogi (Darbhanga), Awadhesh Singh (Hajipur), Rana Randhir Singh (Madhuban), Pawan Jaiswal (Dhaka), and Vinod Narayan Jha (Benipatti). The party’s decision to retain a majority of sitting MLAs underscores its confidence in their local performance and organisational strength.Senior leaders, including former Deputy Chief Ministers Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi, have again been fielded from Katihar and Bettiah, respectively. Vijay Kumar Sinha will contest from his stronghold in Lakhisarai, while ministers Krishna Kumar Rishi and Jibesh Kumar will return from Banmankhi and Jale.
Two Deputy CMs and Senior Ministers in the Fray
The BJP’s two Deputy Chief Ministers, Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, have been fielded from Tarapur and Lakhisarai, respectively. Mangal Pandey, a former state party president and current minister, will contest from Siwan, marking his re-entry into direct electoral politics after serving in the Legislative Council.
The list also includes several sitting ministers such as Rishi and Jibesh Kumar, signalling the party’s emphasis on continuity at the senior leadership level.
New Faces and Women’s Representation
The BJP has introduced new candidates in about 10 constituencies, including Purnea, Kishanganj, Rajnagar (SC), and Narpatganj, aiming for generational renewal and caste balance. Nine women have been fielded, including Renu Devi (Bettiah), Gayatri Devi (Parihar), Nisha Singh (Pranpur), Devanti Yadav (Narpatganj), and Sweety Singh (Kishanganj).
The party’s selection reflects regional and social representation across Bihar, with candidates from upper castes, OBC, EBC and SC communities, aligning with its broader strategy of consolidating support across social groups ahead of the November polls.
