The last date for filing nominations for the second phase of polling is March 26 (Representational)
The RJD and the Congress, partners in the opposition Grand Alliance, Sunday announced the names of candidates for five Lok Sabha seats going to the second phase of polls in Bihar on April 18.
The Congress has named its candidates for Kishanganj, Katihar and Purnea seats while the RJD has named two sitting Members of Parliament or MPs of the party as candidates for Banka and Bhagalpur Lok Sabha constituencies.
Releasing the ninth list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress announced the candidature of Dr Mohammad Javed from Kishanganj, Tariq Anwar from Katihar and Uday Singh alias Pappu Singh from Purnea, Bihar Congress spokesman Harkhu Jha told PTI.
Jay Prakash Narayan Yadav and Shailesh Kumar alias Bulo Mandal, both sitting MPs of the RJD, have been fielded by the RJD from Banka and Bhagalpur respectively, Bihar unit RJD president Ram Chandra Purvey told reporters here.
The last date for filing nominations for the second phase of polling is March 26.
Tariq Anwar, who won the Katihar seat as NCP candidate in 2014, had joined the Congress in September last year, while former BJP MP from Purnea, Uday Singh alias Pappu Singh, had joined the party on March 20 in Patna, Dr Mohammad Javed is the Congress MLA from Kishanganj.
The opposition ''Mahagathbandhan'' in Bihar on March 22 had announced its seat-sharing formula for the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state, half of which will be fought by Lalu Yadav's RJD and nine by Congress.
As per the formula, Upendra Kushwaha's RLSP would field candidates in five while former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhis HAM(S) and Mukesh Sahnis VIP will be fielding their candidates on three seats each.