Key Takeaways

  • The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced its full slate of 101 candidates for the 2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly election out of the 243 constituencies in Bihar.
  • The first list released on 14 October included 71 candidates, featuring senior leaders including Deputy Chief Ministers.
  • Subsequent lists added 12 more and then 18 more, reaching the full 101.
  • Strategic features: caste and gender balance, fresh faces replacing incumbents, and inclusion of celebrities/professionals for wider outreach.
  • The elections are scheduled in two phases: 6 November and 11 November 2025; results on 14 November.

1. What is this list about?

The BJP’s candidate list refers to the set of individuals formally nominated by the party to contest in the Bihar Legislative Assembly elections in 2025. Each candidate corresponds to a specific assembly constituency in Bihar. In this election, the BJP is contesting 101 seats as part of its alliance arrangement with the Janata Dal (United) (JDU) and other allies.

2. Context: Why this matters

  • Bihar’s 2025 assembly elections come during a period of intense political churn in the state — new alliances, shifting caste dynamics, and regional aspirations factor deeply.
  • For the BJP, correctly picking candidates is crucial because Bihar has complex electoral divisions — caste, community, region all play big roles. The candidate list signals who the party believes can win and why.
  • The BJP’s announcement of its lists (first 71, then additional 12, then 18) reflects its phased approach and strategy to balance both continuity (experienced leaders) and renewal (fresh faces).

3. Key elements of the 2025 BJP list

3.1 Senior leaders & big names

  • The first list includes senior ministers and influential figures, such as Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Chaudhary (from Tarapur) and Vijay Kumar Sinha (from Lakhisarai).
  • By anchoring well-known figures, BJP seeks to leverage both incumbency strength and leadership visibility.

3.2 Inclusion of fresh faces & celebrity candidates

  • The second list of 12 included popular folk singer Maithili Thakur fielded from Alinagar and former IPS officer Anand Mishra from Buxar — a clear nod to youth, fresh image and regional outreach.
  • These candidates can help the party connect with younger voters, regional identities and non-traditional voter bases.

3.3 Representation: caste, gender & renewal

  • The list shows effort toward caste and community balance. For example, in the first 71 list: ~50 % of candidates belonged to OBC/ EBC/ SC/ST categories.
  • Women candidates are present though still a minority; nine women were in the first list of 71.
  • The party dropped several incumbents (MLAs) signaling an anti-incumbency response and renewal push.

3.4 Full quota of 101 seats

  • The BJP has finalized 101 candidates — the number of seats allotted to it under the NDA alliance in Bihar.
  • With 101 seats, the BJP is matching its partner JDU (which also contests 101), enabling the NDA combined to contest the full 243 seats.

4. Benefits & implications

  • For voters, the announcement gives clarity on who will contest in each constituency, enabling comparisons and informed decisions.
  • For the party, the list locks in its strategic choices: who the face will be, how caste/community mix plays out, and what message the party wants to send (renewal + stability).
  • For opponents, the list sets the battlefield: they know which constituencies are being contested by whom, and can tailor their strategy accordingly.
  • The presence of young/celebrity candidates may energise certain segments of voters (youth, culturally-connected) which historically may lean less along traditional caste lines.

5. Best practices & what to watch

  • Keep an eye on last-minute changes: even after list announcements, candidates sometimes withdraw or are replaced.
  • Look at constituency-wise details: the broad statistics (71 candidates etc.) are by list, but the real story lies in each seat — who is challenging whom, local dynamics.
  • Note the phase and schedule: Since the election is in two phases (6 Nov & 11 Nov), timing matters for field strategies and campaigning.
  • Watch for voter reaction: dropping incumbents or introducing fresh faces may cause backlash in local party units or among loyal supporters; the real effect shows up in mobilisation.
  • Compare with opponent lists: For example, how does the opponent bloc (like the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Congress or other regional parties) respond? Their choices may counter the BJP’s strategy.

Did You Know?

The BJP’s first list of 71 candidates for Bihar includes 13 ministers and nine women.

Conclusion

The BJP’s candidate list for the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections combines experienced leadership with fresh challengers. The phased release (71 → 12 → 18) reflects strategic prioritisation, while the full quota of 101 seats allotted to the party signals its key role in the NDA-led campaign in Bihar. The balance of caste, gender and renewal indicates the party’s attempt to adapt to the evolving political terrain of Bihar. For voters and analysts alike, the list offers a roadmap of how the BJP plans to fight, but the true test will be in how these candidates perform at the ground in the two-phase polls.

FAQs

What exactly does the “list of 101 candidates” mean?

It means the BJP will field 101 nominees across the 243 assembly constituencies of Bihar (as part of its seat-sharing with allies). Each nominee is the party’s official candidate for that seat.

When were the lists released and how many phases?

  • First list: 14 October 2025, 71 candidates.
  • Second list: 12 candidates (with names like Maithili Thakur, Anand Mishra).
  • Third list: 18 candidates, bringing the total to 101.

Why is there a focus on caste and representation in the list?

Bihar’s electoral politics is deeply influenced by caste, regional identity and community affiliations. To maximise winning chances, parties try to balance these factors in candidate selection — the BJP’s list shows that pattern.

Are there any celebrity or non-traditional candidates in the list?

Yes. For example, folk singer Maithili Thakur has been fielded by BJP from Alinagar constituency, and former IPS officer Anand Mishra from Buxar.

What is the election schedule for the Bihar Assembly election 2025?

The election is in two phases: 6 November and 11 November 2025. The counting of votes will take place on 14 November 2025.

References

  1. “BJP Candidate List 2025 Bihar: Dy CMs, Ministers, and ex-MPs among 71 names released today” – LiveMint, 14 Oct 2025. https://www.livemint.com/elections/assembly-elections/bjp-candidate-list-2025-bihar-dy-cms-ministers-and-ex-mps-among-71-names-released-today-check-full-details-11760437684999.html
  2. “BJP releases third list of 18 candidates for Bihar Elections 2025 — Check names” – LiveMint, 15 Oct 2025. https://www.livemint.com/elections/assembly-elections/bjp-releases-third-list-of-18-candidates-for-bihar-elections-2025-check-names-11760549861274.html
  3. “BJP first list for Bihar polls decoded: Caste balance, fresh faces …” – Moneycontrol, 15 Oct 2025. https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/india/bjp-first-list-for-bihar-polls-decoded-caste-balance-fresh-faces-political-pedigree-13616894.html
  4. “Bihar polls: BJP’s candidate list reflects caste and gender balance” – IANS, 14 Oct 2025. https://ianslive.in/bjps-first-list-reflects-caste-and-gender-balance-for-the-bihar-assembly-elections-2025--20251014184308
  5. “Bihar election 2025: BJP’s full first list of candidates; Samrat Choudhary to contest from Tarapur, Mangal Pandey from Siwan” – Financial Express, 14 Oct 2025. https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/bihar-election-2025-bjps-full-first-list-of-candidates-samrat-choudhary-to-contest-from-tarapur-mangal-pandey-from-siwan/4010275/
  6. “Second list of BJP candidates of Bihar Legislative Assembly Elections 2025 finalised” – BJP Press Release. https://www.bjp.org/pressreleases/second-list-bjp-candidates-bihar-legislative-assembly-elections-2025-finalized-bjp-cec
  7. “Bihar Election 2025 LIVE Updates: BJP releases third list of 18 candidates for Bihar polls” – Indian Express, 16 Oct 2025. https://indianexpress.com/article/india/bihar-election-2025-live-updates-congress-bjp-nda-candidate-list-prashant-kishor-nitish-kumar-10307681/
  8. “2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly election” – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Bihar_Legislative_Assembly_election