Patna: A mathematician who authored textbooks for generations, former bureaucrats, retired police officers, and doctors, are among the 51 candidates that Prashant Kishor-led Jan Suraaj Party announced this afternoon. This is the first list of candidates that Jan Suraaj has released for the two-phase election in Bihar next month.

In the first list, 16 per cent of the candidates are Muslims and 17 per cent are from extremely backward communities. Kishor, a poll strategist-turned-politician, has been vocal about corruption in politics, so a key focus area while choosing candidates has been their clean image. Kishor has roped in several former bureaucrats and police officers for the poll contest.

Among the candidates is a celebrated mathematician. KC Sinha, Jan Suraaj's candidate in Kumhrar, has served as Vice Chancellor of Patna University. The books he authored have been followed in schools in Bihar and several other states for decades.

YB Giri is Jan Suraaj Party's candidate from Manjhi. A Senior Advocate in Patna High Court, YB Giri has been part of several high-profile cases. He has also served as Additional Advocate General of Bihar and Additional Solicitor General of India for central government cases in Patna High Court.

Jan Suraaj's candidate from the Muzaffarpur seat, Dr Amit Kumar Das is an alumnus of Patna Medical College and Hospital and has worked to spread awareness and take basic health facilities to rural areas. He and his wife, also a doctor, run a hospital in Muzaffarpur.

The first list of candidates does not mention Kishor's name, keeping alive the suspense over whether he is contesting the polls. Kishor has said he would like to contest from Raghopur, RJD stronghold, and Tejashwi Yadav's seat, or Kargahar, his home constituency. In Jan Suraaj's first list, Ritesh Ranjan (Pandey) has been named as a candidate from Kargahar, indicating that Kishor may eventually contest from Raghopur.

Source: NDTV