The Janata Dal (United) has announced its first list of 57 candidates for the upcoming Bihar Assembly election, setting the stage for an intense electoral contest. The list, unveiled on Wednesday after days of deliberations within the NDA camp, features several prominent names, including Anant Singh from Mokama, a constituency that has long been at the center of Bihar&rsquo;s political buzz. Party leaders Umesh Khushwaha, Shravan Kumar, and Sunil Kumar have also secured tickets from key constituencies such as Mahanar, Nalanda, and Bhore (SC), respectively.
Notably, JD(U) has fielded candidates in four constituencies earlier claimed by Chirag Paswan&rsquo;s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), signaling a calculated assertion of strength within the NDA fold. The move underscores Chief Minister Nitish Kumar&rsquo;s intent to consolidate his influence and prepare the ground for a high-stakes campaign. &ldquo;The party will release its second list in a couple of days,&rdquo; confirmed JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, adding that Nitish Kumar will formally kick off the poll campaign on Thursday.
The announcement follows the BJP&rsquo;s release of its first list of 71 candidates a day earlier, which included top leaders such as Tarkishore Prasad, Samrat Chaudhary, and Renu Devi. Meanwhile, Prashant Kishor&rsquo;s Jan Suraaj has already declared 116 candidates across two lists, emphasizing community representation in its ticket distribution.
As the NDA locks its final seat-sharing arrangement, 101 seats each for BJP and JD(U), 29 for LJP (Ram Vilas), and six each for RLM and HAM, the opposition Mahagathbandhan is yet to finalize its own strategy. Bihar will vote in two phases on November 6 and 11, with counting on November 14. With 7.42 crore registered voters, the stage is set for one of the most closely watched political battles in the country.

JDU Unveils First List of 57 Candidates for Bihar Polls

Nitish Kumar’s party releases 57 names, eyes stronghold seats amid NDA seat pact talks

JDU Unveils First List of 57 Candidates for Bihar

Nitish Kumar’s party releases 57 names, eyes stronghold seats amid NDA seat pact talks

October 15, 2025 | 20:05 IST