Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Nitish Kumar's JD(U) Declares All 16 Candidates In Bihar, Drops Three Sitting MPs

Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)] declared its 16 candidates in Bihar for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on Sunday (24 March), dropping three sitting MPs.

Vijaylakshmi Kushwaha has replaced Kavita Singh in Siwan, Sunil Kumar replaced Baidyanath Prasad Mahto In Valmiki Nagar and Devesh Chandra Thakur replaced Sunil Kumar Pintu in Sitamarhi.

Former JD(U) president and considered to be close to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Rajiv Ranjan Singh aka Lalan Singh got a ticket from Munger.

The other sitting MPs to get tickets are Dr Alok Kumar Suman from Gopalganj, Dileshwar Kamait from Supaul, Dinesh Chandra Yadav from Madhepura and Ajay Kumar Mandal from Bhagalpur.

Congress won the lone seat of Kishanganj in 2019, of the 40 seats in Bihar. Mujahid Alam has been given a ticket from here. Lovely Anand is the candidate from Sheohar as this time this seat went to JD(U), unlike BJP in 2019.

Santosh Kumar Kushwaha is set to seek a third term from Purnia, while Dulal Chandra Goswami. Giridhari Yadav and Rampreet Mandal are seeking re-election from Katihar, Banka and Jhanjharpur respectively.

The other sitting MPs to get tickets are Kaushalendra from Nalanda, Chandreshwar Prasad Chandrawanshi from Jahanabad.

This announcement is as per the seat-sharing arrangement for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), where the BJP got 17 seats, JD(U) 16 and Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) five seats.

Smaller parties like Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM) and Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Morcha will contest one seat each.