BJP releases list of 66 candidates for Jharkhand assembly polls. Details here

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday released its first list of 66 candidates for the upcoming Jharkhand assembly elections.

The saffron party is contesting on 68 of the 81 assembly seats in the state, leaving the rest for its NDA allies - All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), Janata Dal (United) and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP).

AJSU will contest on 10 seats, JDU on 2 seats and LJP will contest the lone seat of Chatra.

The BJP has fielded state chief Babulal Marandi from Dhanwar, Lobin Hembrom from Borio and former chief minister Champai Soren from Saraikella.

The party has named Sita Soren, the sister-in-law of JMM leader and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, as its nomine from Jamtara,

The BJP’s list also includes the names of Geeta Koda from Jaganathpur, Geeta Balmuchu from Chaibasa, and former Union minister Sudarshan Bhagat.

Ragini Singh has been nominated from Jharia, Prunima Das Sahu from Jamshedpur east and Pushpa Devi Buiyan has been fielded from Chhatarpur.

The Bharatiya Janata Party is looking to topple the JMM-Congress alliance from power in the two-phase polls scheduled for November 13 and 20.

Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Union minister and election in-charge for Jharkhand, said that the Jharkhand elections will be contested by NDA together.

"In Jharkhand, BJP, All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), Janata Dal (United) and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) will contest the elections together. An agreement has also been reached on seat sharing and candidates will be announced soon," Chouhan said during a joint press conference on Friday.

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma detailed the seats that will be contested by BJP's allies AJSU, JDU and LJP.

"Discussions are going on regarding seat sharing. As of now, All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) will contest on 10 seats. Janata Dal (United) on 2 seats and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) on one seat...There can be some adjustments on a few seats later, but this is the picture as of now," Sarma said.