BJP releases first list of 71 candidates for Bihar Assembly elections

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday released its first list of 71 candidates for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. The saffron party will field Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha from Tarapur and Lakhisarai seats, respectively. Former deputy chief minister Tarkishore Prasad and state minister Renu Devi will contest from Katihar and Bettiah, respectively. State ministers Nitish Mishra will seek re-election from the Jhanjharpur seat and Mangal Pandey from Siwan. Shreyasi Singh will join the fray from the Jamui seat, according to the list released by the BJP. The first list has named as many as nine women candidates, including Bihar Minister for Animal and Fisheries Resources Renu Devi, who has been fielded from Bettiah. Bihar Assembly polls are scheduled to be held in two phases on november 6 and 11.