JD(U) Unveils Full Roster Of 101 Candidates For Bihar Elections, Emphasizes Social Balance Under Nitish Kumar’s Leadership

Janata Dal (United), led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, has released a comprehensive list of 101 candidates for the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025. On October 16, the party finalized its second list of 44 candidates—adding to the 57 announced previously—marking its complete slate for all allocated NDA seats in the state legislature.

Focus on Social and Regional Representation

The JD(U)’s ticket distribution underscores a robust focus on social justice and regional balance. The full roster reportedly includes:

37 candidates from Other Backward Classes (OBC)
22 from Extremely Backward Classes (EBC)
22 from upper castes
15 from Scheduled Castes (SC)
1 from Scheduled Tribes (ST)
4 Muslim candidates
13 women nominees

This diverse selection reflects Nitish Kumar’s stated objective to provide adequate representation to marginalized sections and minorities—key pillars of his party’s political strategy.

NDA Seat-Sharing, Mega Election Blitz

Under the NDA’s finalized seat-sharing agreement, both JD(U) and BJP will each contest 101 seats, while LJP (RV) gets 29, and RLM/HAM secure 6 each. In tandem with the candidate announcements, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has embarked on a high-profile three-day visit to Bihar, focusing on seat-by-seat election preparedness and campaign strategy for vulnerable constituencies. Nitish Kumar is set to kick off JD(U)’s campaign, with several senior alliance leaders also filing nominations.

Rival Camps and Political Developments

In the opposition Mahagathbandhan camp, Congress has pre-emptively begun distributing tickets, as RJD and CPI-ML had done earlier. Meanwhile, Surajbhan Singh made headlines by resigning from RLJP, with strong indications he may soon join RJD. His wife, Veena Devi, is widely tipped to contest from Mokama as an RJD candidate, adding a fresh twist to the unfolding political alliances.

Notable Names in the JD(U) List

Among the most prominent JD(U) candidates are Shagufta Azim (Araria), Janab Manjar Alam (Jokihat), Saba Zafar (Amour), Zaman Khan (Chainpur), Chetan Anand (Nabinagar), Vibha Devi (Nawada), and strongwomen leaders like Shalini Mishra (Kesaria), Meena Kamath (Babubarhi), and Leshi Singh (Dhamdaha).

Looking Ahead

With nominations deadlines looming and campaigning intensifying across party lines, Bihar is set for a closely watched and socially significant election, where inclusive representation remains a critical talking point for all major parties.