Bihar Assembly Election 2025: CPI(ML) Withdraws List of 18 Candidates Amid Mahagathbadhan Seat-Sharing Delay

The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) withdrew its list of 18 candidates for the Bihar assembly elections on Tuesday, October 14, 2025. According to the ANI, the party said discussions are ongoing over a few remaining seats and the final list will be announced at a press conference. The opposition alliance has not yet finalised seat allocation as constituent parties continue to negotiate.

#UPDATE | CPI(ML)L withdraws its list of 18 candidates, says that discussions are ongoing on a few more seats and the final list will be released in a press conference.#BiharElections2025

— ANI (@ANI) October 14, 2025

Earlier, CPI (ML) shared a list of 18 candidates with journalists. The list included Madan Singh Chandravanshi (Tarari), Shivprakash Ranjan (Agiaon), Kayamuddin Ansari (Arrah), Ajit Kumar Singh alias Ajit Kushwaha (Dumraon), Arun Singh (Karakat), Mahanand Singh (Arwal), Rambali Singh Yadav (Ghosi), Sandeep Saurabh (Paliganj), Gopal Ravidas (Phulwari), and Divya Gautam (Digha). Other candidates are Satyadev Ram (Daraundha), Amarjeet Kushwaha (Jiradei), Amarnath Yadav (Darauli), Jitendra Paswan (Bhore), Virendra Prasad Gupta (Sikta), Phoolbabu Singh (Warisanagar), Ranjit Ram (Kalyanpur), and Mehboob Alam (Balrampur).

The last day for filing nominations for the first phase of the assembly elections is October 17. CPI (ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya has urged Mahagathbandhan leaders to take early decisions on seat sharing. Meetings are ongoing among the alliance partners to reach an agreement.

The Mahagathbandhan includes the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Congress, Vikasheel Insaan Party led by Mukesh Sahani, and Left-Wing parties. Congress leaders have held discussions at the residence of Rahul Gandhi and with party chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

The ruling NDA declared its seat sharing on Sunday. BJP and JD(U) will contest 101 seats each, the LJP (Ram Vilas) 29 seats, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha and Hindustani Awam Morcha six seats each. On Tuesday, the BJP released its first list of 71 candidates for the assembly elections.

Bihar will vote on November 6 and 11, with results scheduled for November 14.

(With inputs from agencies)