Bihar by-polls: BJP, Congress announce candidates for Bhabua and Araria seats

PATNA: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced the names of candidates who'll contest the by-polls from Bhabua and Araria Lok Sabha seats. BJP leader Rinky Pandey will contest from Bhabua seat while Pradeep Singh from Araria. 

Singh, a former Araria MP, had lost to RJD's Taslimuddin in 2014. 

Congress too announced the names of its contestants. Congress leader Shambhu Singh Patel will contest from Bhabua while state acting president Kaukab Qadri is the contesting from Araria. 

The by-elections for two Lok Sabha seats and two Assembly seats – Jahanabad and Bhabhua -- are scheduled to be held on March 11.

Last week, Bihar's opposition parties Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and ally Congress had announced that reached a seat-sharing arrangement for by-polls to one Lok Sabha and two assembly constituencies.

Meanwhile, ruling Janata Dal (United) on Sunday did a u-turn and decided to contest Jehanabad Assembly constituency by-polls. Abhiram Sharma will contest from the seat. 

"Earlier, we had taken a decision not to contest bypolls--being conducted to fill two Assembly and one Lok Sabha seat--but the party reconsidered its decision on the requests of Sushil Kumar Modi (Deputy CM) and Bihar BJP chief...," state JD(U) chief Bashishtha Narayan Singh said.

Asked why the party reversed its decision, Singh said, "We reviewed our decision keeping in mind the fact that we are both in alliance and in the government. At times, we have to take a practical approach while taking decisions. We cannot be rigid on our stand, especially in alliance," he said here.

With agency inputs