Bihar Elections 2025: BJP to release first list of candidates by evening today

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will release its first list of candidates for the forthcoming Bihar Assembly polls on Monday evening, according to Dilip Jaiswal, the saffron party's Bihar President.

Jaiswal reiterated the National Democratic Alliance's unity after successfully reaching a common consensus on seat-sharing.

"The NDA alliance has announced the seat-sharing arrangement. I have been saying from the beginning that we five 'Pandavas' will contest the Bihar assembly elections with complete unity. We have announced the seat-sharing arrangement first and will start announcing the candidates from this evening," Jaiswal was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Hindustani Awam Morcha stands united with INDIA: Jaiswal

Jaiswal also emphasised that Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi stands united with the NDA alliance.

"Jitan Ram Manjhi has said that under the leadership of the Prime Minister, we will contest the elections unitedly," Jaiswal said.

Additionally, Bihar Minister and BJP leader Nitin Nabin said that NDA has made the seat-sharing decision at the right time and exuded confidence that the alliance will secure more than 200 seats in the 243-member assembly.

"If there is right 'niti' (policy), 'netritva' (leadership) and 'niyat' (intentions), decisions are made at the right time. NDA made the decision at the right time. We will go ahead with Mission 2025, 200 ," he said.

Speaking about Jitan Ram Manjhi, he said, "Nobody is upset...Everyone has expressed themselves on social media. There is no problem."

The NDA on Sunday officially announced its seat-sharing formula for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

Under the arrangement, the BJP and JD(U) will contest 101 seats each, while the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will contest 29 seats. The Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) will contest six seats each.

After the announcement, Jitan Ram Manjhi reaffirmed his unwavering loyalty to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed confidence in the NDA's victory.

"I am heading to Patna now... By the way, let me tell you something I've said before and I'm saying again today... I, Jitan Ram Manjhi, will stand with the Honorable Prime Minister @narendramodiji until my last breath," Manjhi said in a post on X.

"There will be prosperity in Bihar, with Nitish, Modi ji's government will be there," he added.

The 243 Assembly seats will go to the polls in two phases on November 6 and November 11, with counting of votes to be held on November 14.

This upcoming electoral contest will be between the NDA, led by the BJP, and Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)), and the INDIA bloc, led by Tejashwi Yadav of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

(With ANI inputs)