Bihar and Jharkhand News

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) flag (File Photo: IANS)

Patna April 9 (IANS) The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Tuesday evening announced the names of 22 candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in Bihar, to be held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1.

The party, which is contesting 23 out of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state this time, is yet to name its nominee for Siwan.

As per the list issued on Tuesday, RJD has fielded Kumar Sharvjeet (Gaya, reserved), Shrawan Kushwaha (Nawada), Rohini Acharya (Saran), Archana Ravidas (Jamui, reserved), Jayprakash Narayan Yadav (Banka), Bima Bharti (Purnea), Lalit Yadav (Darbhanga), Sudhakar Singh (Buxar), Chandahas Chaupal (Supaul), Misa Bharti (Patliputra), Vijay Kumar Shukla alias Munna Shukla (Vaishali), Abhay Kumar Kushwaha (Aurangabad), Shivchandra Ram (Hajipur, reserved), Shahnawaz Alam (Araria), Surendra Prasad (Jahanabad), Anita Devi Mahto (Munger), Alok Kumar Mehta (Ujiarpur), Arjun Rai (Sitamarhi), Mohammad Ali Ashraf Fatmi (Madhubani), Dipak Yadav (Valmiki Nagar), Ritu Jaiswal (Sheohar), and Kumar Chandradeep (Madhepura).

Sources said the RJD may give the Siwan ticket to Hina Shahab, the wife of late Mohammad Shahabuddin.

The RJD has given a ticket to Vijay Kumar Shukla alias Munna Shukla, considered a strongman in the Vaishali and Lalganj areas.

Shukla will challenge Veena Devi of the LJPR.

Also, Anita Devi Mahto, the wife of Bahubali leader Ashok Mahto, has been fielded against former JD-U National President Lalan Singh from the Munger Lok Sabha seat.