Abhishek Jha, Anand Pushkar and Ghanshyam Rai Also Named; Polling for Eight Council Seats Scheduled for October 23
Patna, September 23, 2026 (SDNA): The Janata Dal (United) has announced four candidates for the upcoming Bihar Legislative Council elections, finalising its nominees for two Graduate and two Teachers’ constituencies. The party has once again nominated sitting MLC Neeraj Kumar from the Patna Graduates constituency.
The announcement comes ahead of the biennial elections to eight seats in the Bihar Legislative Council. The Election Commission has scheduled polling for October 23, with counting to be held on October 27.
Four Candidates Named
According to the list released by JD(U), the party’s nominees are:
- Neeraj Kumar — Patna Graduates
- Abhishek Jha — Tirhut Graduates
- Anand Pushkar — Saran Teachers
- Ghanshyam Rai — Darbhanga Teachers
The list was issued by JD(U) Bihar president Umesh Singh Kushwaha. The announcement formally confirms the party’s candidates in four of the eight constituencies going to the polls.
Neeraj Kumar Gets Another Nomination
Neeraj Kumar has been renominated from the Patna Graduates constituency, where he is the sitting member. His candidature has been a prominent part of the political activity surrounding the upcoming Council elections.
The Patna Graduates seat has also witnessed public political differences involving JD(U) MLA Anant Singh. Reports have previously highlighted Singh’s opposition to Kumar and his support for another candidate.
Eight Seats to Go to Polls
The Election Commission has announced elections for four Graduate and four Teachers’ constituencies in Bihar.
The Graduate constituencies are Patna, Darbhanga, Tirhut and Kosi, while the Teachers’ constituencies are Patna, Darbhanga, Tirhut and Saran. The terms of the sitting members are due to expire on November 16.
According to the announced schedule, the election notification will be issued on September 29. Candidates can file nominations until October 6, scrutiny will take place on October 7, and the deadline for withdrawal is October 9. Voting will take place from 8 am to 4 pm on October 23, followed by counting on October 27.
Contest Takes Shape
With JD(U) announcing its four nominees, the party’s participation in the upcoming Council elections has become clearer. Other political parties have also begun announcing candidates for the eight constituencies, setting the stage for contests across the Graduate and Teachers’ segments.
The final field will emerge after the nomination, scrutiny and withdrawal stages. The October 23 polling will determine the representatives for the eight Bihar Legislative Council constituencies.
— SDNA