PATNA: Janata Dal (United) led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday named Kaladhar Prasad Mandal as its candidate for the Rupauli assembly constituency in Purnea district, where bypolls will be held on July 10.
Rupauli assembly seat fell vacant after sitting JD(U) MLA Bima Bharti resigned from the party and contested Lok Sabha election from Purnia seat on the ticket of Lalu Prasad’s RJD. She, however, lost to Independent candidate Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav.
Bima Bharti has already announced she would not contest the bypoll from the seat. Her husbandAwadhesh Mandal may fight as an Independent candidate. JD(U) state president Umesh Kushwaha said that people trusted CM Nitish in the 2020 assembly election and supported Bima Bharti.