\'Khamosh\' Shatrughan Sinha! BJP gives Patna Sahib to Ravi Shankar Prasad
Patna: Two days after the BJP announced its first list of Lok Sabha candidates, the party released its Bihar list on Saturday notably dropping Shatrughan Sinha and fielding Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad from the Patna Saheb seat.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) released its second list of candidates on Saturday for all the 40 Lok Sabha seats.
After Ravi Shankar Prasad received BJP's Lok Sabha ticket from Patna Sahib, he said, "Patna is my city, I was born there, studied there, became a lawyer. Even though I had been working on national level, I have an emotional connection with Patna. I'm grateful to the party, PM Modi, Amit Shah Ji and others."
It is believed that actor-turned-politician Sinha was dropped from the list as he has been critical of the political quarters' top leadership on various occasions in the past.
Addressing media, BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav informed that Lok Janshakti Party's Chandan Kumar will contest from Bihar's Nawada and sitting Nawada MP Union Minister Giriraj Singh will contest from Begusarai parliamentary constituency.
Minister of State (MoS) Rajiv Pratap Rudy has been announced as NDA's Lok Sabha election candidate from Saran constituency while Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh will fight from East Champaran.
Lok Janshakti Party's Chirag Paswan, son of Ram Vilas Paswan, is set to contest from Jamui in April.
The list also included the names of Ramkirpal Yadav who will contest from Patliputra, RK Singh from Arrah and Ashwani Choubey from Buxar.
The BJP general secretary did not announce the name of the candidate who will contest from Khagaria Lok Sabha constituency citing that Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Jan Shakti Party has not finalised the candidate for the seat.
He also added that the candidates have been finalised by BJP president Amit Shah, JD(U) president Nitish Kumar and LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan.
Bihar is one among those states of the country which will go for polling during all the seven phases of Lok Sabha Elections.
In Bihar, the different constituencies will see elections on April 11, 18, 23, and 29 and May 6, 12 and 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.
