Photo Credit: The Suncity News
Patna, April 9, 2024: The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Tuesday evening announced the names of 22 candidates for the Lok Sabha election 2024 in Bihar.
The party is contesting 23 seats and has withheld the Siwan seat, which, sources said, may go to Hina Shahab wife of late strongman MP Mohammad Shahabuddin.
RJD has announced the names of all 23 candidates:
According to the list issued by state party president Jagadanand Singh, the RJD has fielded, Kumar Sarvjeet—Gaya (SC), Shrawan Kushwaha—Nawada, Dr Rohini Acharya—Saran, Archana Ravidas—Jamui (SC), Jayprakash Narayan Yadav—Banka, Bima Bharti—Purnea, Lalit Yadav—Darbhanga, Sudhakar Singh—Buxar, Chandahas Chaupal—Supaul, Dr Misa Bharti—Patliputra, Vijay Kumar Shukla alias Munna Shukla—Vaishali, Abhay Kumar Kushwaha—Aurangabad, Shivchandra Ram—Hajipur (SC), Shanawaz Alam—Araria, Dr Surendra Prasad—Jehanabad, Anuta Devi Mahto—Munger, Alok Kumar Mehta—Ujiarpur, Arjun Rai—Sitamarhi, Mohammad Ali Ashraf Fatmi—Madhubani, Dipak Yadav—Valmiki Nagar, Ritu Jaiswal—Sheohar, Kumar Chandradeep—Madhepura.
Among these, five candidates are sitting MLAs—Kumar Sarvjeet. Sudhakar Singh, Bima Bharti, Shahnawaz Alam and Alok Kumar Mehta.
Bima Bharti, who recently defected from JD-U to RJD, has been given the ticket from Purnea. Similarly, Shahnawaz Alam, who won the 2020 Assembly election from Jokihat (Araria) on an AIMIM ticket before joining the RJD in 2022, will now contest from Araria.
Prominent leaders were also given tickets:
The list also includes several heavyweight and controversial figures. Vijay Kumar Shukla, alias Munna Shukla, considered a strongman in the Vaishali-Lalganj belt, will face Veena Devi of LJP (Ram Vilas). Anita Devo Mahto, wife of strongman Ashok Mahto, has been fielded from Munger against JD-U’s Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh.
Former JD-U leader Ali Ashraf Fatmi will contest from Madhubani, while Dipak Yadav, a rebel BJP leader, has been given the ticket from Valmikinagar.
Party spokesperson Ritu Jaiswal’s inclusion in the list has come as a surprise to many within the political circles.
Also Read: RJD gave the symbol of the party to four candidates for the first phase of Lok Sabha election 2024.
EOM.