Jan Suraaj releases first list of 51 candidates for Bihar polls
Ahead of the high-stakes Bihar Assembly elections, the Prashant Kishor-led Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) has officially entered the fray, announcing its first list of 51 candidates on Thursday. Positioning itself as a viable “third front” alternative to the ruling NDA and the opposition Grand Alliance, the party’s list features a diverse mix of candidates, including the granddaughter of socialist icon Karpoori Thakur and the daughter of former Union Minister R.C.P. Singh. The announcement marks the formal beginning of Jan Suraaj’s ambitious solo campaign to disrupt the state’s established political landscape. The polls would be held in 2 phases.
Ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly election, the Prashant Kishor-led Jan Suraaj Party, on Thursday, announced its first list of 51 candidates, marking the beginning of its electoral campaign as a third front in the state. At a press conference in Patna, the party’s National President, Uday Singh, said that the names of candidates will now be released daily. He told that among the 51 candidates, seven belong to the Scheduled Castes (SCs), 17 to the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and nine to the minority community. The remaining 18 candidates are from the general and Economically Backward Class (EBC) communities. Singh also announced that Prashant Kishor will launch the party’s election campaign from Raghopur on October 11, but clarified that the Jan Suraaj President is not in the list of 51 released candidates on Thursday.
While releasing the list, R.C.P. Singh said, “We are going to create history in Bihar politics.” The list includes several notable names, including Jagriti Thakur, the granddaughter of Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur, who will contest from Morwa Assembly seat (Samastipur). Lata Singh, the daughter of former Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Union Minister R.C.P. Singh, has been nominated from Asthawan (Nalanda). Bhojpuri actor Ritesh Pandey has been fielded from Kargahar (Rohtas). Renowned educationist K.C. Sinha will contest from Kumhrar (Patna). The other candidates are Drig Narain Prasad will contest from Valmikinagar, Sunil Kumar from Lauria, Awadesh Ram from Harsidhi, Lal Babu Prasad from Dhaka, Usha Kiran from Sursand, Vijay Kumar Sah from Runnisaidpur, Mohammad Parvez Alam will contest from Bennipatti, Ram Pravesh Kumar Yadav from Nirmali, Raghib Bablu from Sikti, Abu Affam Farruque from Kochadhaman, Afroz Alam from Amour, Kunal Nishad alias Sonu Singh from Pranpur, Subodh Kumar Suman from Alam Nagar, Kishore Kumar Munna from Saharsa, Surendra Yadav from Simri Bakhtiyarpur, and others. The Jan Suraaj Party, which has decided to contest the election solo, is presenting itself as a third alternative to the ruling NDA and the Opposition Grand Alliance in Bihar.
FAQs: Jan Suraaj’s First Candidate List for Bihar Elections
1. Is Prashant Kishor himself contesting in the Bihar elections?
No, according to the party’s National President Uday Singh, Prashant Kishor is not among the first 51 candidates announced. However, he will be actively leading the campaign, which he will launch from Raghopur on October 11.
2. Who are some of the prominent candidates in Jan Suraaj’s first list?
The list includes several notable names, such as:
Jagriti Thakur:Â Granddaughter of Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur, contesting from Morwa.
Lata Singh:Â Daughter of former Union Minister R.C.P. Singh, nominated from Asthawan.
Ritesh Pandey:Â A popular Bhojpuri actor, fielded from Kargahar.
K.C. Sinha:Â A renowned educationist, contesting from Kumhrar in Patna.
3. Is Jan Suraaj allied with the NDA or the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan)?
No, the Jan Suraaj Party has decided to contest the election solo. It is explicitly presenting itself as a “third front” or a third alternative to both the ruling NDA and the opposition Grand Alliance in Bihar.