Bihar – The Janata Dal (United) has completed its ticket distribution for the upcoming Bihar assembly election by releasing its second list of 44 JDU Bihar candidates on Thursday. This announcement completes the party’s slate for all 101 seats it will contest as part of the National Democratic Alliance, while Chief Minister Nitish Kumar simultaneously launched the party’s poll campaign in Samastipur and Darbhanga.
Second List Features Diverse Representation
The latest batch of JDU Bihar candidates demonstrates the party’s commitment to social diversity and inclusion. Unlike the first list of 57 candidates released on Wednesday, the second list includes four Muslim candidates: Jama Khan from Chainpur, Saba Zafar from Amour, Manzar Alam from Jokihat, and Shagufta Azeem from Araria.
The second list of JDU Bihar candidates also features nine women nominees, bringing the total number of female candidates to thirteen out of 101 seats. This represents a significant effort to enhance women’s political participation in the state’s legislative affairs.
Women Candidates in the Final List
The JDU Bihar candidates list includes several prominent women who will contest from key constituencies. Sitting MLA Shalini Mishra has been nominated from Kesaria, while Shweta Gupta will represent Sheohar. Other female candidates include Meena Kamat from Babubarhi, Sheela Mandal from Phulparas, and Sonam Rani Sardaar from Triveniganj-R.
Additional women among the JDU Bihar candidates are Leshi Singh from Dhamdaha, Manorama Devi from Belaganj, Vibha Devi from Nawada, and Shagufta Azeem from Araria. This diverse selection reflects the party’s strategy to appeal to women voters across different regions and communities.
Social Engineering and Caste Arithmetic
The JDU Bihar candidates selection reveals careful attention to social engineering. Out of 101 seats, Other Backward Class candidates have secured 37 seats, including 25 allocated to Lav-Kush communities—13 to Kushwaha and 12 to Kurmi candidates. The Yadav community has been given eight seats within the OBC quota.
Extremely Backward Class candidates among the JDU Bihar candidates have been allocated 22 seats, demonstrating the party’s focus on this crucial voting bloc. Scheduled Caste candidates have received 15 seats, while one seat has gone to a Scheduled Tribes candidate, ensuring representation across all social categories.
General Category Distribution
The general category JDU Bihar candidates have been allocated 22 seats, with strategic distribution among upper castes. Rajput candidates lead with ten seats, followed by Bhumihar candidates with nine seats. Brahmin candidates have been given two seats, while one seat has gone to a Kayasth candidate, reflecting the party’s effort to maintain its traditional upper-caste support base.
Strategic Seat Swaps and New Faces
The JDU Bihar candidates list showcases the party’s ability to negotiate effectively with alliance partners. Through seat-swapping arrangements with the Bharatiya Janata Party and other NDA partners, JDU managed to secure strategic constituencies like Karakat and Kahalgaon.
From Karakat, which BJP lost in 2020 to a CPI-ML candidate, the JDU Bihar candidates include former lawmaker Mahabali Singh, who had defeated Upendra Kushwaha in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. This selection demonstrates the party’s confidence in reclaiming lost ground through experienced politicians.
Also Read: Congress First List Candidates Bihar Announced: Power Move Ahead of Polls
Accommodating Turncoats and Political Heirs
The JDU Bihar candidates list has made room for several turncoats and their family members. Shubhanand Mukesh, son of former Bihar Congress president Sadanand Singh who joined JDU in 2021, has been fielded from BJP’s sitting Kahalgaon seat. This represents a significant strategic move to leverage family political legacy.
Rituraj Kumar, son of former MP Arun Kumar who joined JDU this month, features among the JDU Bihar candidates from Ghosi constituency. Chetan Anand, son of don-turned-politician Anand Mohan Singh, has been shifted to Nabinagar from Sheohar, indicating careful candidate placement based on winnability factors.
Controversial Inclusions
Some JDU Bihar candidates selections have raised eyebrows. Vibha Devi, who switched to JDU last week, has been fielded from Nawada. She is the wife of former RJD MLA Rajballabh Yadav, who was convicted in a rape case involving a minor but was acquitted of the charges on August 14 this year.
Party’s Confidence and Campaign Strategy
JDU working president Sanjay Kumar Jha expressed confidence about the complete JDU Bihar candidates list, stating that NDA has released its full slate while opposition parties are still struggling with partial lists. He emphasized that this organizational readiness demonstrates NDA’s preparedness and will translate into electoral success.
Jha attacked the INDIA bloc for their candidate choices, pointing to incarcerated Reetlal Yadav being fielded from Danapur and Mohammad Shahabuddin’s son from Siwan. He suggested these selections reveal the opposition’s unchanged character and priorities.
Campaign Launch
Coinciding with the release of the final JDU Bihar candidates list, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar headed to Samastipur and Darbhanga to kick off the party’s poll campaign. This strategic timing ensures maximum media attention and sets the tone for the upcoming electoral battle.
Electoral Strategy and Prospects
The JDU Bihar candidates selection reflects a comprehensive strategy balancing social justice, political pragmatism, and alliance management. By completing the candidate list early, the party has given its nominees more time for grassroots campaigning and constituency-level organization.
The party leadership believes that this carefully crafted list of JDU Bihar candidates, combined with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s governance record and NDA’s organizational strength, will secure another mandate to continue Bihar’s developmental journey. As the election approaches, these 101 candidates will be crucial to determining JDU’s political fortunes in the state.
