In the Bihar Assembly elections, both the NDA and the Mahagatbandhan are facing a major challenge from a large number of rebel candidates. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United) have denied tickets to several sitting MLAs. On the other hand, many former and current legislators of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) are contesting against the officially nominated candidates of the Mahagatbandhan.
In Dinara constituency of Rohtas district former minister and ex-JD(U) leader Jai Kumar Singh is contesting as a rebel candidate against the NDA-supported Rashtriya Lok Morcha nominee. The Rashtriya Lok Morcha has fielded Alok Kumar Singh, while the RJD has nominated Shashi Shankar Kumar. In Dehri constituency of Rohtas district, Fateh Bahadur Singh, upset over being denied a ticket, is contesting against his own party’s RJD candidate Guddu Kumar Chandravanshi.
In Chainpur seat of Kaimur district, due to a lack of seat-sharing agreement within the Grand Alliance, Vikassheel Insaan Party’s Govind Bind and RJD’s Brij Kishore Bind are contesting against each other. In Karakat, Bhojpuri singer and BJP star campaigner Pawan Singh’s wife Jyoti Singh is contesting as an independent candidate. In Nawada a similar scenario is being witnessed. RJD has denied tickets to sitting MLAs Mohammad Kamran from Govindpur and Prakash Veer from Rajauli. Both have entered the fray as rebels against the Grand Alliance’s official candidates. In Barhara constituency of Bhojpur district, RJD is facing a challenge from its former MLA Saroj Yadav.
In Mahua constituency of Vaishali district, the RJD is being challenged by its former leader Tej Pratap Yadav, who was expelled from the party by RJD National President Lalu Prasad Yadav. Tej Pratap is contesting against the RJD’s official candidate Mukesh Kumar Roshan. In Barharia seat of Siwan district, former MLA Shyam Bahadur Singh is contesting against his own party, JD(U) nominee. In Parihar constituency of Sitamarhi district, former RJD leader Ritu Jaiswal is in the fray against the party’s official nominee Smita Gupta. In Sikta constituency of West Champaran, former JD(U) leader and former minister Khurshid alias Firoz Ahmad is contesting against the NDA candidate.
In Jamalpur constituency of Munger district, JD(U) has fielded Nachiketa Mandal, while the party’s former leader and ex-minister Shailesh Kumar is contesting as a rebel candidate. With many sitting MLAs, former legislators, and ex-ministers entering the electoral fray as rebel candidates after being denied tickets, there is a strong possibility of major upsets in several constituencies.