The Congress names candidates for Bihar MLC polls scheduled for October 23, creating major political friction within the opposition alliance. Party general secretary KC Venugopal approved five nominees for the upcoming legislative council elections across Graduates and Teachers constituencies. The decision establishes a direct contest against Mahagathbandhan partner Rashtriya Janata Dal on three key seats, raising questions about alliance dynamics and seat-sharing arrangements.

The nominee list features former Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee president Madan Mohan Jha for Darbhanga Teachers and Sanjay Yadav for Patna Teachers. For the Graduates constituencies, Manoj Kumar Jaiswal will contest from Kosi Graduates, Rajnikant Pathak from Darbhanga Graduates, and Asadullah Khan from Patna Graduates.

Has Congress Broken Alliance Unity With RJD In Bihar?

The RJD previously announced six candidates for eight Council seats, leaving two open. However, the Congress decided to field candidates in Kosi, Darbhanga, and Patna Graduates constituencies, directly challenging its ally. By placing Manoj Kumar Jaiswal, Rajnikant Pathak, and Asadullah Khan against RJD nominees Dilip Kumar, Nitesh Kumar, and Anil Kumar Jha, the Congress transformed a unified coalition into an intense contest.

The Election Commission announced that polling takes place on October 23, with vote counting scheduled for October 27. The nomination window opened on September 29 and closes on October 6. Scrutiny occurs on October 7, and candidate withdrawals are permitted until October 9.

Voting will happen across four Graduates seats including Patna, Darbhanga, Tirhut, and Kosi, alongside four Teachers seats covering Patna, Darbhanga, Tirhut, and Saran. The tenure of sitting members across these eight seats ends on November 16, making this election vital for controlling legislative influence in the state council.