Overview
- RJD named 143 candidates and Congress 61, setting up direct contests in several constituencies, with reports listing five to six such seats including Vaishali, Narkatiaganj, Kahalgaon, Sultanganj and Sikandra.
- The Mahagathbandhan has 253 nominations for 243 seats, signaling unresolved overlaps that leaders say could still be pared back before the October 23 withdrawal deadline for Phase 2.
- Jharkhand Mukti Morcha confirmed it will not contest in Bihar after failed seat talks, accusing RJD and Congress of sidelining the party.
- RJD’s Sasaram nominee Satendra Sah was arrested after filing his papers as Jharkhand Police executed a non‑bailable warrant in a 2004 bank robbery case, officials said.
- The NDA enters the campaign with a settled split—BJP and JD(U) 101 seats each and LJP(RV) 29—while the BJP attacks RJD over candidates’ criminal records and Jan Suraaj alleges pressure leading to candidate withdrawals.