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Nomination Ends For Bihar Polls; 1,314 in Fray For First Phase

  • By Thetripurapost Desk, Patna
  • Oct 21, 2025
  • 22

The nomination process for the second and final phase of the Bihar Assembly elections concluded on Monday, marking the completion of a crucial stage ahead of the two-phase polls. According to the Election Commission, 1,314 candidates are in the fray for the first phase, while over 300 nominations were rejected and 61 candidates withdrew.

Voting will be held for 121 seats on November 6, and for 122 seats on November 11, completing elections for all 243 Assembly constituencies. The final list of candidates for the second phase will be released by October 23.

Alliance Rift and Last-Minute Rush

The INDIA bloc witnessed visible rifts and internal discontent over seat sharing. The RJD, which leads the alliance, announced its first list of 143 candidates just seven hours before the nomination deadline. In total, the alliance has fielded 254 candidates for 243 seats, with 12 candidates contesting against each other — largely due to overlaps with Mukesh Sahni’s Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP).

RJD has fielded 143 candidates, Congress 61, CPI(ML) 20, CPI 9, CPM 6, and VIP 15. The Congress, which won 19 of 66 seats in 2020, now contests only 61. CPI(ML), which performed well last time (winning 12 of 19), has increased its tally to 20 this time.

No Joint Press, No CM Face

For the first time, neither the NDA nor the Grand Alliance held a joint press conference to announce candidates. Both coalitions released lists until the final hour, and notably, no alliance has declared a Chief Ministerial face, signaling internal power tussles.

NDA Equations Shift

Within the NDA, the BJP remains the largest party, while the JD(U)’s weakening position and the split in LJP have altered internal equations. Chirag Paswan’s LJP(R), contesting 29 seats, could impact vote dynamics. The entry of VIP into the INDIA bloc may also affect Nishad votes.

Despite facing anti-incumbency after two decades in power, the NDA may benefit from opposition disunity.

74 Parties in the Fray

A total of 74 political parties are contesting the elections — including national players like BJP, Congress, and AAP, and regional outfits such as RJD, JD(U), LJP(R), HAM, and VIP. Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraj Party and the Aam Aadmi Party are contesting all 243 seats.

RJD Leads in Women Representation

RJD leads in women’s representation, fielding 24 women candidates, followed by JDU and BJP with 13 each, Congress with five, and LJP(R) with six. Most women candidates are reportedly relatives of established political figures.

Caste and Community Focus

RJD’s ticket distribution reflects its traditional social coalition — 51 Yadav, 19 Muslim, 14 upper caste, and 11 Kushwaha candidates. Compared to 2020, the party has increased Muslim and Kushwaha representation, while maintaining dominance among Yadav nominees.