Bihar polls: BJP releases final list of 35 candidates, renominates four state ministers, drops two MLAs

New Delhi/Patna: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday issued its fourth list of 35 candidates for the Bihar assembly polls, repeating four state ministers and majority of the sitting MLAs.

With this the party has named all its nominees for the 110 seats that it is contesting in the three-phase elections starting from 28 October.

All the candidates are for the third phase scheduled for November 7, the party said in a statement in the National Capital. The names of six women figure on the fourth list.

Fourth list of 35 BJP candidates for ensuing General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Bihar finalised by BJP CEC. pic.twitter.com/z3guPijpXC

— BJP (@BJP4India) October 14, 2020

A significant omission in the list is RS Pandey, former union petroleum secretary and sitting BJP MLA from Bagha seat. The party has given ticket to Ram Singh in place of Pandey this time from Bagha assembly constituency in West Champaran district.

Two-time BJP MLA from Raxual Ajay Kumar Singh also did not find place in the list. The party has instead nominated Pramod Sinha from the seat located in East Champaran district on the border of Nepal.

In Pranpur seat in Katihar district, the party has given ticket to Nisha Singh, wife of former state minister Vinod Kumar Singh, who died due to post-COVID complications on Monday.

The saffron party has repeated four ministers in the present NDA government on their seats. They are — Suresh Kumar Sharma from Muzaffarpur, Krishna Kumar Rishi from Banmakhi (reserved SC) seat, Vinod Narayan Jha (Benipatti) and Pramod Kumar (Motihari).

Neeraj Kumar Singh, cousin of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput who died recently in Mumbai, will seek re- election from Chattapur in Supual district.

The JD(U) and the BJP are fighting on 115 and 110 seats respectively, with two smaller allies Jitan Ram Manjhi's HAM (S) and Vikassheel Insaan Party contesting on seven and 11 seats respectively.

The polls to the 243-seat Bihar assembly are scheduled for 28 October, 3 and 7 November. The counting of votes is slated for 10 November.