
- RJD has announced 143 candidates for Bihar polls, including 24 women and 18 Muslims
- RJD fielded candidates in four seats where Congress has announced candidates, indicating friction in alliance
- RJD has fielded Bhojpuri actor Khesari Lal Yadav from Chhapra
With two weeks to go for the Bihar Assembly election, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has released a list of 143 candidates for the upcoming polls. In signs that all is not well within the Mahagathbandhan, the RJD has fielded candidates in four seats where its ally, the Congress, has already announced candidates. The RJD list has 24 women and 18 Muslim candidates.
With the RJD announcing 143 candidates, the Mahagathbandhan's seat-sharing formula stands at RJD (143), Congress (55), CPIML (20), CPI (6), CPM (4) and VIP (15). Interestingly, the Congress has already announced candidates for 60 seats, and some constituencies will see friendly fights.
Seat-sharing has been a sore point in both the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan camps. But while NDA partners have tried to show a united front, the INDIA Bloc appears to be a divided house in the run-up to the election. Leaders in both RJD and the Congress have, however, downplayed differences.
बिहार विधानसभा चुनाव-2025 के लिए राष्ट्रीय जनता दल द्वारा चयनित प्रत्याशियों की सूची।
— Rashtriya Janata Dal (@RJDforIndia) October 20, 2025
सभी उम्मीदवारों को हार्दिक बधाई एवं विजय की अग्रिम शुभकामनाएं। #Bihar #RJD pic.twitter.com/QI7ckgoIQ6
Tejashwi Yadav is contesting from the family bastion of Raghopur. RJD has fielded Bhojpuri actor Khesari Lal Yadav from Chhapra and industrialist Deepak Yadav from Narkatiaganj. Another name that has made headlines is Osama Shahab, son of gangster-turned-politician and Siwan strongman, late Mohammad Shahabuddin. Osama Shahab is contesting from Raghunathpur in Siwan.
Out of the four MLAs from Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM, who switched to RJD after winning the 2020 state polls, only one has got a poll pass this time. Shahnawaz Alam, Jokihat MLA, has been fielded from the same seat. The other did not get a poll ticket this time.
This time, the RJD is contesting on 143 seats, one less than last time. In the 2020 polls, the RJD won 75 seats, emerging as the single largest party. But a poor show from the Congress deprived it of a shot at government formation.
Bihar votes on November 6 and November 11. The counting of votes will be held on November 14.
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