Bihar polls: BJP's candidate list reflects caste and gender balance

Patna, Oct 14 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday announced its first list of 71 candidates for the upcoming Bihar Assembly Elections 2025, with a clear focus on inclusive representation across caste and community lines.

In a strategic move aimed at social balance, the BJP has ensured participation from Dalits, Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (SC/STs), and women.

According to the party’s list, over 50 per cent of the tickets have been allotted to Dalits, backward, extremely backward, and women candidates.

The first list includes 20 candidates from Other Backward Classes (OBCs), 11 candidates from Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), 6 candidates from the SC/ST community, and 8 women candidates.

The list also provides fair representation to upper caste groups, with candidates from Bhumihar, Brahmin, Rajput, and Kayastha backgrounds.

Among the upper castes, 15 Rajputs, 11 Bhumihars, 7 Brahmins, 1 Kayastha, and 1 Chandravanshi were included in the first list.

Additionally, four Yadav, eight Vaishya, one Dangi, four Kushwaha, and three Kurmi candidates have been fielded, alongside a dozen candidates from Extremely Backward Classes.

The BJP has also given new faces significant representation, particularly in constituencies such as Kumhrar, Patna Sahib, Rajnagar, and Aurangabad, indicating a blend of experience and fresh leadership.

Party leaders said the list reflects the BJP’s effort to strike a balance between social justice and political strategy, ensuring representation for every section of society while maintaining the party’s stronghold across Bihar’s diverse social fabric.

Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha has been given a ticket from Lakhisarai, and he belongs to the Bhumihar caste. Sunil Kumar from Bihar Sharif comes from the Kushwaha community, Sanjeev Chaurasia from Digha is an EBC candidate, Nitin Naveen from Bankipur is a Kayastha, Sanjay Gupta from Kumhrar is a Vaishya, Ratnesh Kushwaha from Patna Sahib comes from the Kushwaha community, Ramkripal Yadav from Danapur is a prominent Yadav leader, Siddharth Saurav from Vikram is a Bhumihar and others.

--IANS

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