Congress unveils 2nd Bihar roster, adds 5 fresh faces to electoral symphony

As the political winds sweep across Bihar, the Congress on Saturday, 18 October, unfurled its second list of candidates for the upcoming assembly elections, adding another layer to the unfolding electoral drama.

With five fresh names joining the fray, the party has now declared 53 candidates out of the 243 seats that will decide Bihar’s political future in the two-phase polls slated for 6 and 11 November.

According to an official letter issued from the office of AICC general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal, the party named Shaswat Kedar Pandey (Narkatiaganj), Qamrul Hoda (Kishanganj), Irfan Alam (Kasba), Jitender Yadav (Purnia), and Mohan Shrivasta (Gaya Town) as its nominees — additions that round off a first list of 48 contenders unveiled on Friday. The votes will be counted on 14 November, setting the stage for what promises to be a charged political showdown.

बिहार विधानसभा चुनाव के लिए कांग्रेस उम्मीदवारों की लिस्ट। pic.twitter.com/5HvUxaSf84

— Congress (@INCIndia) October 18, 2025

Bihar polls: Congress names 48 candidates; Rajesh Ram to contest from Kutumba

Adding a twist to the tale, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) — a crucial ally of the Opposition INDIA bloc and the ruling partner of the Congress in neighbouring Jharkhand — has charted an independent course in Bihar.

JMM general secretary and spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya announced on Saturday that the party would field candidates on six seats, underscoring the shifting sands of alliance politics.

The Congress’s first list, released a day earlier, had already generated buzz with several prominent faces in the mix. Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Ram will contest from Kutumba, CLP leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan from Kadwa, and Bihar Youth Congress president Prakash Garib Das from Bachhwada. Jayesh Mangal Singh (Bagaha), Amit Giri (Nautan), and Abhishek Ranjan (Chanpatia) also feature among the party’s early picks.