RJD names 143 candidates for Bihar assembly elections, Tejashwi Yadav to contest from Raghopur

RJD Leader Tejashwi Yadav.

After weeks of extensive deliberation among Mahagathbandhan constituents, the Lalu Prasad Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Monday released its list of 143 candidates for the Bihar Assembly Elections, with Tejashwi Yadav set to contest from Raghopur. Bihar will vote in two phases -- November 6, 14. The outcome will be declared on November 14.

The RJD is contesting the elections as a part of the INDIA bloc, along with partners Congress, the CPI(ML)L, CPI(M), CPI, and the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP). Due to ongoing disputes within the Mahagathbandhan, the RJD had not released its candidate list until now. Even before releasing the official list, the party had allocated symbols to all its candidates.

Compared to the 2020 Assembly elections, the RJD is contesting on one less seat this time-144 seats in 2020 versus 143 seats in 2025. Important candidates include Tejashwi Yadav from Raghopur, Chandra Shekhar from Madhepura, Veena Devi (Surabhan's wife) from Mokama, and Uday Narayan Chaudhary from Jhajha.

Meanwhile, the Congress on Monday released another list of six candidates for the Bihar Assembly polls, taking the total number of candidates announced by the party to 60. The list was announced post-midnight, even as a formal seat-sharing deal continues to elude the Mahagathbandhan, with the RJD and the Congress unable to reach an understanding.

Speaking on Monday, Congress leader Surendra Rajput opened up about the INDIA bloc's seat-sharing woes. “Our differences may exist, but we are resolving disputes through dialogue. There is no hostility among us. Conversations are opening up all the paths. There is no bitterness in the alliance. Unlike the NDA, we are not fielding candidates against one another within the coalition. It is not like the NDA where people such as Chirag Paswan say things like ‘it is unfortunate that Nitish Kumar is the chief minister of North Bihar’, nobody is saying that here," Rajput told news agency PTI.

Disgruntlement in the Mahagathbandhan became apparent as disgruntled aspirants in both the RJD and Congress accused the leadership of putting tickets up for sale, highlighting internal dissatisfaction ahead of the polls. The last day for filing of nomination papers for the second and final phase is Monday.