The Janata Dal (United) on June 14 fielded Kaldhar Prasad Mandal as its candidate for the Rupauli Assembly constituency bypoll in Bihar.
JD(U) State unit president Umesh Singh Kushwaha said Mr. Mandal was chosen on the instructions of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the party’s national president.
The bypoll was necessitated after sitting MLA Bima Bharti of the JD(U) resigned to contest the Lok Sabha election from Purnea as a Rashtriya Janata Dal candidate. She lost the election against Independent candidate Rajesh Ranjan, alias Pappu Yadav, who also defeated the sitting JD(U) MP Santosh Kushwaha.
Ms. Bharti has confirmed that she will not contest the bypoll. Instead, her husband, Awadhesh Mandal, has joined the fray as an Independent candidate.
The RJD is in alliance with the Left parties in Bihar. In 2020, the Communist Party of India (CPI) had contested the seat and will field its candidate for the bypoll scheduled on July 10. Votes will be counted on July 13.
Published - June 15, 2024 12:18 am IST
