Grand Alliance Names 242 Candidates For Bihar Polls

Nitish Kumar has made it clear that development was the main agenda for the polls while the NDA was only interested in creating divisions on the basis of religion and caste.

In this file photo, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar (PTI)

PATNA: The grand alliance of Janata Dal-United, Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress on Wednesday released the much-awaited first list of 242 candidates for the Bihar assembly elections, keeping in mind the caste equations in view of their social support base.

According to a press release issued by the grand alliance, 55 percent of the 242 candidates belong to Other Backward Classes and Economically Backward Classes, 16 percent belong to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, 14 percent are Muslim, and 16 percent from general or upper castes. About 10 percent candidates are women.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar along with RJD state president Ram Chandra Purve and state Congress president Ashok Choudhary announced the list at a joint press conference here.

Nitish Kumar said the name of remaining one candidate would be announced soon.

"We have tried to ensure representation to all sections of society. There are no complaints within the grand alliance over the names of candidates and seat adjustments," he said.

Nitish Kumar has made it clear that development was the main agenda for the polls while the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance was only interested in creating divisions on the basis of religion and caste.

The JD-U and RJD will contest 101 seats each while the Congress will contest 41 seats of the 243 assembly seats of Bihar, elections for which will be held in five stages between October 12 and November 5. Counting of votes will be taken up on November 8.