BJP names 15 more candidates for Jharkhand polls

The BJP on Thursday released its third list of 15 candidates for the Jharkhand assembly polls, taking to 68 the total number of seats for which it has declared its nominees. Assembly Speaker Dinesh Oraon has been fielded from Sisai and ministers Neelkant Munda and Amar Kumar Bauri from Khunti and Chandankyari respectively, according to the list.

However, the name of minister Saryu Rai has been missing from the list of BJP candidates so far, fuelling speculation that the party may be planning to drop the senior leader as its candidate in the elections to 81-member assembly. The Election Commission has announced five-phase polls to the Jharkhand assembly between November 30-December 20. The results will be announced on December 23.

The BJP is fighting the Congress-JMM alliance to retain power in the state under the leadership of Chief Minister Raghubar Das. The BJP's alliance with AJSU has hit hurdles after its ally named several candidates on the seats from where the saffron has also fielded its nominees.