Patna: The dispute over seat-sharing within the Grand Alliance continues to persist even as the first phase of nominations for Bihar election has concluded. Following failure in seat- sharing talks, former Union Minister and national president of Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) Pashupati Kumar Paras’s has decided to chart an independent course.
Despite prolonged discussions, the RLJP faction failed to reach an amicable agreement with the coalition, which primarily saw the RJD contesting the majority of seats, followed by the Congress. A key sticking point was the negotiation between Paras and Mukesh Sahni (Vikassheel Insaan Party), who ultimately settled for 15 seats. However, Paras remained unconvinced by the offers, leading to the breakdown of talks.
With the release of the first list of 25 candidates, Pashupati Paras has signaled his party’s intent to contest solo, though he stated that the LJP will remain open to forming alliances with other “like-minded parties.”
Key Candidates in the First RLJP List
The released list covers constituencies across various regions of Bihar, indicating a wide electoral ambition despite the break from the Grand Alliance.
A notable inclusion is Yashraj Paswan, who will contest from the Alauli (SC) constituency in Khagaria, marking a political entry for the party chief’s son.
| Constituency | Candidate Name |
|---|---|
| Alauli (SC) | Yashraj Paswan |
| Khagaria | Poonam Yadav |
| Beldaur | Sunita Sharma |
| Sahebpur Kamal | Sanjay Kumar Yadav |
| Bakhri | Nira Devi |
| Sikandra | Ramadhin Paswan |
| Rajpur | Amar Paswan |
| Chenari | Sonu Kumar Nat |
| Dumrao | Mrityunjay Kushwaha |
| Buxar | Dharmendra Ram (Mehtar) |
| Ara | Hare Krishna Paswan |
| Arwal | Divya Bharti |
| Imamganj | Tapeshwar Paswan |
| Barachatti | Shiv Kumar Nath Nirala |
| Mohania | Anil Kumar |
| Barharia | Sunil Paswan |
| Kudhni | Vinod Rai |
| Baruraj | Sanjay Paswan |
| Harsiddi | Madan Paswan |
| Garkha | Vigan Manjhi |
| Chiraiya | Sheikh Salauddin Khan |
| Rajapakar | Shivnath Kumar Paswan |
| Hajipur (City) | Dhanshyam Kumar Daha |
| Vaishali | Ram Iqbal Kushwaha |
| Mahua | Shamsuzzaman |
