As negotiations over seat-sharing within the NDA head towards conclusion, Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar on Saturday surprised the public by declaring Santosh Kumar Nirala as the party’s first candidate for the upcoming assembly elections.
Nirala has been fielded from Rajpur, a reserved constituency in Buxar district, making him the first official candidate to be announced from the ruling alliance even before the seat-sharing arrangement is formally sealed. The move is being read as a signal of confidence from the JD(U) leadership.
Kumar made the announcement during the ‘Karyakarta Samvad’ in Buxar district, where the hall echoed with enthusiastic party slogans. Calling Nirala on stage, the chief minister urged the people to stand firmly behind him, reminding them of his record as a cabinet minister and his long association with the party. Kumar praised Nirala’s previous tenures, saying he had proven himself through his work in welfare and transport portfolios.
Nirala’s political journey goes back to 1992. He first entered the Bihar Assembly in 2010, winning from Rajpur, and retained the seat in 2015. He served as Minister of SC & ST Welfare from 2014 to 2017 and later handled the transport department until 2020. However, in the 2020 assembly elections, he lost to Congress candidate Vishwanath Ram, despite the JD(U) contesting in alliance with the BJP.
Following that defeat, Nitish Kumar appointed him as chairman of the Mahadalit Commission for a brief term. Party insiders say his candidature this time has been decided after thorough ground-level assessments.
In his address, Nitish Kumar also drew contrasts between Bihar today and the state nearly two decades ago, urging voters to back development-oriented politics. He accused the Congress of indulging in “garbad” (wrongdoings) and positioned the NDA as the only alliance capable of keeping Bihar on the path of progress.
Alongside the political push, Kumar also inaugurated and laid foundation stones for development projects worth over ₹325 crore in Buxar. These included road expansion works and the announcement of a new university to be named after Ustad Bismillah Khan, the Bharat Ratna awardee and legendary musician.
Meanwhile, multiple news agencies have indicated that NDA allies — BJP, JD(U), LJP (Ram Vilas), HAM and RLM, are expected to meet on September 9, after the Vice Presidential election, to finalise the seat-sharing formula.
