Assembly Elections 2025 , Sparks NDA Row Over Disputed Seats
PATNA, October 15, 2025 : The Janata Dal (United) released its first list of 57 candidates for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections on Wednesday, marking a significant development in the state’s electoral landscape while simultaneously triggering tensions within the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Controversial Candidate Selection Amid Alliance Friction
The announcement includes candidates for five seats that were previously claimed by Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), namely Sonbarsa, Rajgir, Gaighat, Ekma, and Morwa, signaling potential discord within the coalition ahead of the polls.
Among the prominent candidates fielded on these contested constituencies are Ratnesh Sada from Sonbarsa, Vidyasagar Nishad from Morwa, Dhumal Singh from Ekma, and Kaushal Kishore from Rajgir.
‘Bahubali’ Candidates Return to Electoral Arena
The candidate list features three individuals with controversial backgrounds, including former MLA Anant Singh, who has been nominated from Mokama constituency Singh, often referred to as a “bahubali” (strongman) in Bihar politics, has a history of criminal cases. Dhumal Singh will contest from Ekma while sources indicate Amarendra Pandey has been fielded from Kuchaekot constituency.
Senior Leaders and Ministers in the Fray
The party has approved JD(U) state chief Umesh Khushwaha for Mahanar, Bihar’s Minister for Rural Development Shravan Kumar for Nalanda, and Sunil Kumar for Bhore (SC) constituency Other ministers featuring on the list include Vijay Choudhary, Madan Sahni, Ratnesh Sada, and Maheshwar Hazari , bringing the total number of sitting ministers fielded to six.
Gender Representation and Community Dynamics
According to the list, four of the 57 candidates are women However, notably absent from the candidate roster are any Muslim nominees, raising questions about community representation in the party’s electoral strategy.
NDA Seat-Sharing Tensions Intensify
The decision comes just days after the NDA finalized its seat-sharing arrangement for the polls JD(U) had expressed strong displeasure over the allocation of several of its stronghold seats to alliance partners , which appears to have culminated in the party’s decision to field candidates on seats claimed by Chirag Paswan’s faction.
The Bihar Assembly elections are expected to be fiercely contested, with the candidate list reflecting both the JD(U)’s strategic positioning and the underlying tensions within the ruling coalition. Further announcements regarding remaining seats are anticipated in the coming days as parties finalize their electoral preparations.
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