Bihar elections: BJP declares 35 candidates for 3rd phase; here is full list of contenders

BJP on Wednesday released its 4th list of 35 candidates for the upcoming Bihar Assembly election. Thus, all 110 candidates of the party have been announced. The Vikassheel Insaan Party will contest from 11 seats belonging to the overall BJP quota. The candidates were finalised by BJP's Central Election Committee comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, party president JP Nadda, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, MSME Minister Nitin Gadkari, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, former Union Minister Shahnawaz Hussain and others.

29, 46 and 35 candidates of BJP will contest in the first, second and third phase respectively. Prominent BJP candidates include international shooter Shreyasi Singh (Jamui), former MP Hari Manjhi (Bodhgaya) and Bihar chief spokesperson Nikhil Anand (Maner). Only 13 (11.81%) of the overall candidates are women as against ally JD(U) which has given tickets to 22 women. Moreover, BJP has not given a ticket to a single Muslim candidate. As a part of NDA alliance, JD(U) and HAM will contest 115 and 7 seats respectively. BJP has reiterated that the next government will be led by CM Nitish Kumar. 

Here is the fourth list: 

Read: CM Nitish Kumar Pens Open Letter Ahead Of Bihar Polls, Lists Achievements Since 2005

Here is the list of the remaining candidates: 

Read: Bihar Elections 2020: LJD Chief Sharad Yadav's Daughter & LJP Gen Secy Join Congress

Bihar Assembly polls

The Bihar Assembly has a strength of 243 members out of which 38 seats are reserved for SC and two for ST. In the 2015 state polls, the Mahagatbandhan comprising RJD, JD(U) and Congress won a whopping majority with 178 seats under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. On the other hand, the BJP-led alliance won from only 58 constituencies. On July 26, 2017, Nitish Kumar stepped down as the CM citing irreconcilable differences with RJD over corruption allegations against Tejashwi Yadav and joined hands with its former ally BJP.

The upcoming Assembly election will be held in 3 phases- October 28, November 3 and November 7. To decongest polling stations, the voting time has been increased by one hour. Thus, people will be able to cast their votes from 7 am to 6 pm barring the areas affected by Left-wing extremism. The counting of votes will take place on November 10.

Read: Bihar Elections 2020: RJD-Congress CM Pick Tejashwi Files Nomination; Assures 10 Lakh Jobs

Read: Bihar Election 2020 Turns Rap Battle: 'Is Baar Tejashwi Tayy Hai' Replies Lalu Yadav's RJD