RJD announces names of candidates for two LS seats for 2nd

The opposition Grand Alliance in Bihar Sunday announced the names of five Lok Sabha seats which will be contested by the RJD and the Congress in the second phase of polling on April 18.

The Congress will put up candidates from Kishanganj, Katihar and Purnea, while its ally the RJD will field its nominees from Banka and Bhagalpur Lok Sabha seats.

While the RJD has announced the names of the two candidates, the Congress is likely to make an announcement by this evening.

The last date for filing nominations for the second phase of polling is March 26.

"Of the five seats where polling will take place in the second phase, Kishanganj, Katihar and Purnea have gone to the Congress kitty while the RJD will contest from Banka and Bhagalpur," Bihar unit RJD president Ram Chandra Purvey told reporters here.

Jay Prakash Narayan Yadav and Shailesh Kumar alias Bulo Mandal, both sitting MPs of the RJD, have been fielded by the RJD from Banka and Bhagalpur respectively, Purvey said.

The Congress candidates for the three Lok Sabha seats will be named by late evening, Bihar Congress spokesman Harkhu Jha, who was also present at the press meet, told reporters.

"A meeting of the partys central election committee is going on in New Delhi and the names of the candidates for the three seats (Kishanganj, Katihar and Purnea) are likely to be announced after the meeting, probably in the evening or late evening," Jha said.

The opposition 'Mahagathbandhan' in Bihar on Friday had announced its seat-sharing formula for the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state, half of which will be fought by Lalu Prasad's RJD and nine by Congress.

As per the formula, Upendra Kushwahas RLSP would field candidates in five while former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhis HAM(S) and Mukesh Sahnis VIP will be fielding their candidates on three seats each.

The Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases in Bihar.