Bihar council polls: Cong names Prem Chandra Mishra as nominee

The Congress today named Prem Chandra Mishra as its lone candidate for the biennial elections to the state legislative council scheduled on April 26.

"Congress president Rahul Gandhi has approved the candidature of Prem Chandra Mishra as Congress candidate for the biennial election," All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Mukul Wasnik said in a release.

Mishra is a senior Bihar Congress leader and a familiar face on TV news channels.

"I am thankful to Congress president Rahul Gandhi ji for reposing faith in me by declaring my name for council polls," Mishra told PTI.

"There were several candidates but the party has nominated me for the lone seat. I would continue to work hard for the party," he added.

Tomorrow is the last date for filing nomination papers for the council polls which would be held on April 26 for 11 Council seats.

Prominent among those whose terms will end in May include Chief Minister and JD(U) national president Nitish Kumar, former CM Rabri Devi, Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi and state health minister Mangal Pandey.

Scrutiny of papers will take place on April 17 while the last date for withdrawal of nomination papers is April 19.

BJP has named Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, Health Minister Mangal Pandey and Sanjay Paswan, a former union minister and a Dalit leader, as its candidates for the council polls.

The ruling JD(U) is yet to announce the names of its candidates. However, sources in the party said Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is likely to figure in the list.

"The party may field new faces for the remaining two seats," the sources said.

Four RJD has already filed their nomination papers on April 13. Former Bihar Chief Minister and party's national vice president Rabri Devi, state president Ramchandra Purbe, senior party leader Khurshid Mohsin and Santosh Manjhi are its candidates.

Santosh Manjhi is the son of Hindustani Awam Morcha chief and ex-CM Jitan Ram Manjhi who recently switched over from the NDA to the RJD-led Grand Alliance.