Bihar: The Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)] has released its first list of 57 candidates for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, setting off a wave of political reactions. Among the most talked-about names is Komal Singh — daughter of Lok Sabha MP Veena Devi and a close associate of Chirag Paswan — who will contest from the Gaighat constituency.
Komal Singh’s father, Dinesh Singh, serves as a member of the Bihar Legislative Council from JD(U). Political analysts see Nitish Kumar’s move to nominate Komal Singh as a strategic step to widen the party’s social outreach and send a subtle signal to Chirag Paswan’s camp.
Four women get tickets
Continuing his emphasis on women’s representation, Nitish Kumar has fielded four women in this round. The list features Kavita Saha from Madhepura, Komal Singh from Gaighat, Ashwamedh Devi from Samastipur, and Raveena Kushwaha from Vibhutipur.
Strongmen feature in the list
JD(U)’s list also includes three strongmen, with Anant Singh from Mokama being one of the most high-profile names. Singh filed his nomination papers on Tuesday. Others in the same category are Amarendra Singh from Kuchaykot and Dhoomal Singh from Ekma.
Notable inclusions
Former Industry Minister Shyam Rajak has been given a ticket from Phulwari Sharif. Rajak, who was earlier with the RJD, switched to JD(U) after being denied a ticket in 2020. Another significant name is Radha Charan Sah from Sandesh, a former RJD MLC who joined JD(U) in 2020. His son, Kanhaiya Prasad, had been accused in an illegal sand mining case and was granted bail by the Patna High Court earlier this year.
