Patna, Mar 10 (IANS): Ahead of the MLC elections to five seats in Bihar, the Mahagathbandhan has announced its candidates on Friday.

The elections to the five seats under the graduates' and teachers' quota is scheduled on March 31 and the last date of filing nomination is March 13. The candidates can withdraw their nominations by March 16.

JD-U state President Umesh Kushwaha announced the names of the candidates which were finalised by the central leadership of the Mahagathbandhan.

Accordingly, Virendra Narayan Singh of the JD-U will contest from Saran (graduates), Sanjiv Shyam Singh of JD-U from Gaya (teachers), Sanjiv Kumar Singh of JD-U from Kosi (teachers), Punit Kumar of the RJD from Gaya (graduates), and Anant Pushkar Pandey of the CPI from Saran (teachers).

The newly-elected MLCs will work for three years before their term comes to an end on May 8, 2026.

For the NDA, four BJP candidates will contest the elections -- Ramchandra Prasad Singh (Saran, graduates), Awadhesh Narayan Singh (Gaya, graduates), Ranjan Kumar (Kosi, teachers) and Dharmendra Singh (Saran, teachers) -- while D.N. Singh of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will contest from Gaya (teachers).