JD(U) releases first list of 11 candidates for Jharkhand Assembly polls; barring a former state minister, other nominees first-timers

Ranchi: The Janata Dal (United) on Monday released its first list of 11 candidates for the Assembly polls in Jharkhand, set to be held in five phases beginning 30 November. [caption id=“attachment_4963311” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar. PTI[/caption] JD(U) state general secretary Shravan Kumar, after announcing the names here, said the party would depend on greenhorns in the first phase. Barring former state minister Sudha Choudhary, who has been given a ticket from Chhatarpur(SC) seat, all nominees were first-timers, Kumar said. Other candidates who have been named in the list include Krupalata Devi (Bishunpur-ST), Budheswar Oraon (Manika-ST), Sushil Kumar Mangalam (Panki), Bramhadev Prasad (Bishrampur-ST) and Aditya Chandel (Hussainabad). In the first phase, 13 of the total 81 Assembly seats will go to polls. The party, which had drawn a blank in the 2014 polls, had announced in August that it would go it alone this time. The five-phase elections will conclude on 20 December and counting will be held three days later, on 23 December.