Bihar Polls 2020: BJP's list of 46 candidates for Phase 2 out; star-campaigners announced

Gearing up for the Bihar elections, BJP on Sunday, released its list of 46 candidates for the second phase of elections to be held on November 3. As per the released list, BJP has shortlisted Renu Devi to contest from Bettiah, Mithilesh Tiwari from Baikunthpur and Asha Sinha from Danapur Assembly Constituency. PM Modi chaired the Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting on Saturday, along with Home Minister Amit Shah and JP Nadda, and finalised the list of candidates for BJP.

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BJP releases list of candidates for 2nd phase

The BJP also released a list of 30 star-campaigners for the upcoming polls - headed by PM Narendra Modi, including JP Nadda, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah. It also featured Bihar politicians like - Dr. Sanjay Jaiswal, Sushil Modi, Bhupendra Yadav, Ravi Shankar Prasad along with top national leaders like Devendra Fadnavis, Manoj Tiwari, Yogi Adityanath. On Saturday, Congress released its star campaigners list comprising of top Bihar politicians like former Speaker Meira Kumar and ex-MP Shatrughan Sinha along with Ghulam Nabi Azad, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi.

Bihar Elections 2020: In Congress star-campaigners, Ghulam Nabi Azad before Priyanka Vadra

PM Modi chairs BJP's CEC meeting to finalise candidates for upcoming Bihar elections

Seat sharing formula

The NDA- led by BJP poll-in-charge Devendra Fadnavis has faced a revolt from LJP, which has decided to contest separately claiming ideological differences with JD(U). Snubbing them, BJP has reaffirmed Nitish Kumar as its CM candidate and has released its seat-share with JD(U) with BJP keeping 121 seats for itself out of which 11 seats will be given to Mukesh Sahni-led Vikassheel Insaan Party. On the other hand, JD(U) will field its candidates in only 115 constituencies whereas Hindustani Awam Morcha has been given the go-ahead in 7 seats- Kasba, Makhdumpur, Kutumba, Imamganj, Barachatti, Tikari and Sikandra. LJP has stated that it will not field its candidates against BJP and is open to a post-poll coalition. 

Similarly, Mahagathbandhan which saw initial revolt from Congress finally agreed to a 144-70 seat-share formula with Congress,  and three other Communist parties contesting on 29 seats. BJP, JDU, Congress, RJD, JMM have already released their list of candidates. The NDA and Mahagathbandhan face three coalitions -  'Progressive Democratic Alliance' (PDA) - comprising of JAP, AJP, SDP, BMP, and Grand Democratic Secular Front - comprising of AIMIM, RLSP, BSP, SJDD and SBSP. Bihar will vote in 3 phases - October 28, November 3, and November 7, with the results being declared on November 10.

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