Patna, 15 Oct

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) on Wednesday announced its first list of 57 candidates for the upcoming assembly polls, with several ministers like Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Sharwan Kumar, and Madan Sahni among nominees.

Ministers Ratnesh Sada and Maheshwar Hazari also featured on the list.

The list also included turncoats like Shyam Rajak, who returned to the JD(U), quitting RJD about a year ago, and don-turned politician Anant Kumar Singh, who had filed nomination papers from the Mokama assembly seat on Tuesday.

JD(U) state unit president Umesh Kushwaha has also been fielded from the Mahnar seat.

Kushwaha also filed his nomination papers on Tuesday.

According to the list, Madan Sahni has been fielded from the Badaurpur assembly seat, Ratnesh Sada from Sonbarsa, Maheshwar Hazari from Kalyanpur, Vijay Kumar Choudhary from Sarairanjan, and Shrawan Kumar from Nalanda.

Elections to the 243-member assembly will be held in two phases, on 6 and 11 November.

The votes will be counted on 14 November.