The Bihar chapter of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) officially unveiled its first group of 71 candidates for the highly anticipated Bihar Assembly elections on Tuesday, October 14, 2025. This initial announcement has already stirred significant discussion, primarily due to the absence of several well-known leaders.
Among the most surprising omissions is Nand Kishore Yadav, the current Speaker of the Bihar Legislative Assembly. He will be replaced in the Patna Sahib constituency by Ratnesh Kushwaha, a fresh face in the electoral race. Meanwhile, Health Minister Mangal Pandey, presently a member of Bihar Legislative Council, is set to contest from Siwan. Ram Kripal Yadav, who had faced a defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, has been nominated for the Danapur Assembly seat.
Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary will be contesting from the Tarapur Assembly seat. Choudhary previously ran for the Parbatta Assembly seat in the 2010 elections.
The released list highlights a commitment to diversity, with nine women candidates being nominated among the 71.
Reacting to his exclusion, Nand Kishore Yadav expressed his unwavering support for the party’s decision. “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,” he stated. He also extended his gratitude to the constituents of Patna Sahib, saying, “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.”
Regarding the broader alliance, both the BJP and the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) are slated to contest 101 seats each. The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), led by Union Minister Chirag Paswan, will field candidates in 29 constituencies. Additionally, the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) under Upendra Kushwaha and the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) led by Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi have been allocated six seats each.
The Bihar Assembly elections are scheduled to take place in two phases, on November 6 and November 11, with the vote counting set for November 14, 2025.