Live updates: Piyush Goyal gets additional charge of Food Ministry

Congress postponed the announcement of its list of candidates for the upcoming polls with some of its prominent leaders asserting that tickets should not be given to tainted candidates. The Congress election committee is yet to release its list of candidates. One of the reasons for the delay, sources say, is that the names of some prospective candidates such as Brajesh Pandey have been tainted with allegations of rape and crimes against women, attracting howls of protests from several leaders, most notably senior Congress leader and former Union minister Girija Vyas. Sources also said that the tickets for candidates for the Harnaut, Sultanganj, Hisua and Tekari constituencies have been held back for similar reasons, anticipating a backlash from voters.

Don-turned-politician Anant Singh is all set to file his nomination papers from Mokama assembly constituency of Bihar as RJD candidate on Wednesday. Singh is currently lodged in Beur Central Jail in an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act case.

A former Bihar BJP vice-president joined LJP on Tuesday after quitting the saffron outfit. Rajendra Singh will contest from Dinara constituency against JD(U) MLA and minister in Nitish Kumar cabinet, Jai Kumar Singh. LJP is likely to accommodate at least four BJP men in its first list of candidates, which would be released on Wednesday and in subsequent phases more saffron members will find place, sources said.

The NDA ‘rebel’, LJP, found itself cornered on Tuesday by both JD(U) and BJP with the saffron party categorically saying that those who do not accept the leadership of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar for the assembly polls are not part of the coalition. It also cautioned the Chirag Paswan-led LJP against using PM Modi’s name for electioneering.