Has Congress Unveiled Its 4th List of Candidates for Bihar Polls?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Fourth list of candidates announced by Congress.
- Total of 60 nominees declared for Bihar elections.
- Three Muslim candidates included in the latest list.
- Disputes over seat-sharing with RJD.
- Potential for direct contests between Congress and RJD.
New Delhi, Oct 20 (NationPress) The Congress party has unveiled its fourth list comprising six candidates for the forthcoming Bihar Assembly elections, thereby increasing the total number of nominees announced to 60.
This latest list, disclosed late on Sunday, features three Muslim candidates.
Previously, the Congress party released its first list on October 16, which included 48 candidates, followed by a second list with one candidate and a third list with five.
In the fourth list, the party has nominated Surendra Prasad Kushwaha from Valmiki Nagar, Abidur Rahman from Araria, Jalil Mastan from Amour, Tauqeer Alam from Barari, Praveen Singh Kushwaha from Kahalgaon, and Vinod Chaudhary from Sikandra Assembly.
Reports indicate that there was no agreement between the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) regarding the Kahalgaon seat. Nevertheless, the Congress proceeded to declare its candidate from this constituency, making a claim.
Although nominations for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections closed on October 17, an official announcement concerning seat-sharing among the Mahagathbandhan partners is still pending. Additionally, nomination submissions for the second phase are also concluding on Monday.
Meanwhile, other alliance partners, including the RJD and the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), have yet to publish their lists. Several leaders, including the RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, have already submitted their nominations.
The alliance partners continued ticket distribution until the final day of nominations for the first phase, resulting in both Congress and RJD contesting against each other in at least seven constituencies.
However, leaders from both parties have minimized the issue, labeling them as "friendly fights".
Due to the absence of seat-sharing agreements within the Grand Alliance and competing claims over constituencies, communication between Congress and RJD leaders has stalled. Meanwhile, the RJD has been actively distributing symbols to its candidates.
Ignoring its allies, the RJD has nominated candidates in a dozen seats, including the Kutumba seat, currently held by state Congress President Rajesh Ram. This development raises the likelihood of a direct contest solely between the RJD and the Congress.