CPI(ML) liberation bets on experience, renominates all 12 sitting MLAs in Bihar polls

The CPI(ML) Liberation, a constituent of the INDIA bloc in Bihar, on Saturday released its list of 20 candidates for the upcoming assembly elections, renominating all its 12 sitting MLAs.

The party is fielding new candidates in seats it could not win in the 2020 assembly elections. In the last polls, CPI(ML) Liberation contested 19 seats, winning 12 of them.

“We have maintained the spirit of coalition. Although we deserved more seats this time, we finally decided to contest only 20 assembly segments. We wanted to contest at least 24 seats this time, but it could not be materialised,” CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya told PTI after releasing the list of candidates. He added, “I am confident that the 'Mahagathbandhan' will win the polls with a thumping majority. People are tired of the NDA government.”

The party’s renominated MLAs include Amarjeet Kushwaha, Satyadeo Ram, Gopal Ravi Das, Sandeep Saurav, Shiv Prakash Ranjan, Ajeet Kumar Singh, Birendra Prasad, and Mahboob Alam. Other candidates are Divya Gautam, Anil Kumar, and Phoolbabu Singh.

All candidates contesting in first-phase constituencies, which will go to the polls on November 6, have already filed their nomination papers. These include Dhananjay from Bhore, Amarjeet Kushwaha from Ziradei, Satyadeo Ram from Darauli, Amarnath Yadav from Daraunda, Ranjeet Kumar Ram from Kalyanpur, Phoolbabu Singh from Warisnagar, Bishwanath Chaudhry from Rajgir, Divya Gautam from Digha, Gopal Ravi Das from Phulwari, Sandeep Saurav from Paliganj, Quyamuddin Ansari from Ara, Shiv Prakash Ranjan from Agiain, Madan Singh from Tarari, and Ajit Kumar Singh from Dumraon.

The 243-member Bihar assembly elections will be held in two phases, on November 6 and 11, with votes scheduled to be counted on November 14.

CPI(ML) Liberation’s strategy continues to focus on its traditional strongholds while introducing new candidates in areas not won in 2020. The party faces limitations in expanding beyond its established seats due to alliance seat-sharing arrangements, resource constraints, and the local electoral dynamics.