The BJP on Tuesday released the first list of 71 candidates for the November Bihar elections, fielding both its Deputy Chief Ministers and dropping Assembly Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav (72), a seven-term lawmaker from Patna Sahib.

Apart from Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, seven ministers in the outgoing Bihar Government find their names on the list. Nand Kishore has been replaced by Ratnesh Kushwaha, a BJP organisational man.

Choudhary will contest after over a decade and has been fielded from Tarapur, which is adjoining Parbatta, the seat he won the last time he contested in 2010 on the RJD ticket. A former BJP Bihar chief, Choudhary later joined the JD(U) before switching camps to the saffron party. Sinha has represented Lakhisarai thrice and will defend the seat aga

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