Sons of party's veterans; kin of rape-accused in RJD's first list

New Delhi: Taking a lead, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Janata Dal (United) on Monday declared its first batch of candidates for assembly seats that will go for polls on October.

The RJD's list of candidates shows that dynasty politics has ruled the roost in the party as heirs of senior leaders of the party has been fielded from their stronghold seats.

Of the 15 candidates declared by the RJD, Rahul Tiwari, the son of party veteran Shivanand Tiwary, and Sudhakar Singh, the son of party's state president Jagadanand Singh, have been given tickets Shahpur and Ramgarh, respectively.

RJD has again fielded rape accused Raj Ballabh Yadav's wife Vibha Devi from Nawada assembly seat. Raj Ballabh is in jail on the charge of rape of a minor girl. Raj Ballabh's membership of Bihar legislative assembly was terminated after his conviction in the rape case in December 2018.

The party leader Tejashwi Yadav, who has not spoken on Hathras incident, has created controversy by fielding absconding MLA Arun Yadav's wife Kiran Devi, who has been fielded from Sandesh seat, which is located in the Bhojpur district. Arun Yadav is a rape accused and absconding for a year.

In the list of Tejashwi Yadav, the party has also confirmed the candidature of notorious criminal Rajendra Yadav's son from Atari assembly seat in Gaya district. The seat was earlier represented by murder accused Rajendra Yadav's wife Kunti Devi in the 2015 assembly poll.

Former minister and Jamui MLA Vijay Prakash will once again contest as RJD candidate in the upcoming election.

As per the RJD's list, Anita Devi has been fielded from Nokha, W Singh from Naveenagar, noted strongman Surendra Yadav fielded from Bela seat, Savitri Devi from Chakai, Suday Yadav from Jahanabad.

Besides, the RJD has fielded Ramvishun Singh Lohia from Jagdishpur, Subedar Das from Makhdumpur, Ramdev Yadav from Belhar, Rajendra Yadav from Jhajha and Vijay Samrat from Shekhpura.

In the list of the JD-U's 25 candidates, the party has retained its seating MLAs. The ruling party has given tickets to Kaushal Kumar for Nawada seat, Jai Kumar Singh for Dinara, Sudarshan for Barbigha, Rajiv Lochan for Mokama, Damodar Rawat for Jhajha, Vinod Yadav for Sherghati, Vashistha Singh for Kargahar, Ramanand Mandal for Suryagarha, Kusum Latha Singh for Jagdishpur, Satyadev Kushwaha for Kurtha, Krishna Nandan Verma for Jehanabad and others.