PATNA: The BJP on Saturday announced three candidates for the MLC elections in Bihar, with the name of senior BJP leader and former Union minister Shahnawaz Hussain being the notable omission.

The party has announced the names of former Health Minister Mangal Pandey, Anamika Singh, and Lal Mohan Gupta as candidates for the MLC elections. One seat has already been given to Santosh Kumar Suman, the National President of the Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S), under BJP quota.

The BJP has not considered the names of Shahnawaz Hussain and Sanjay Paswan, both current MLCs whose tenure will end along with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar (JD-U), Rabri Devi (RJD), Sanjay Kumar Jha (JD-U), Prem Chandra Mishra (Congress), Santosh Kumar Suman (HAM-S), Mangal Pandey (BJP), Ramchandra Purve (RJD), Khalid Anwar (JD-U), and Rameshwar Mahto (JD-U), in the first week of May.

Apart from Mangal Pandey, the BJP did not repeat any other leader for the MLC elections.

Pandey was preparing for the Lok Sabha elections from his home district Siwan, and being renominated for the MLC polls might come as a big jolt for him now.

From the JD-U, CM Nitish Kumar and Khalid Anwar are the two NDA candidates.

According to a notification issued by the Election Commission, the last date for filing nominations is March 11. The voting will take place on March 21 between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The results will be declared on the same day.