Bihar Assembly elections: BJP releases first list of 71 candidates

The Bihar BJP on Tuesday (October 14, 2025) released the first list of 71 candidates for the Bihar Assembly elections. 

Bihar Legislative Assembly Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav is among the prominent leaders missed in the list. He has been replaced by Ratnesh Kushwaha, a new candidate, for Patna Sahib constituency. Health Minister Mangal Pandey, who is member of Bihar Legislative Council, is contesting from Siwan, while Ram Kripal Yadav who had lost 2024 Lok Sabha election to RJD’s Misa Bharti has been fielded from Danapur Assembly seat.

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Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary is being fielded from Tarapur Assembly seat, Mr. Choudhary has contested the last Assembly election in 2010 from Parbatta Assembly seat.

Out of 71, nine are women candidates.

On being omitted from the list, Mr. Yadav said “I stand by the BJP’s decision. The BJP has given me a lot. I have no complaints with the party. The new generation is welcomed and congratulated. The people of Patna Sahib Assembly have made me victorious seven consecutive times. I will never forget the affection and love they gave me as a BJP candidate. I am grateful to everyone.”

Both the BJP and JD(U) will be contesting in 101 seats each, while the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) led by Union Minister Chirag Paswan will contest in 29 seats. The Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) led by Upendra Kushwaha and the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) led by Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi have been allocated six seats each.

The Assembly elections to Bihar will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11 and the counting will be on November 14, 2025.