Altogether 490 candidates are left in the fray for 35 Assembly constituencies spread over Bhojpur, Patna, Nawada, Gaya, Jehanabad and Nalanda districts in Bihar after the last date of withdrawal of nominations for the fifth phase of Assembly elections in the state on November 9.
Of the 536 candidates who filed their nominations, papers of 17 were found to be invalid, while 29 other candidates withdrew from the contest on the last date of withdrawal on Monday, election office sources said.
Prominent among the candidates whose fate will be decided in the fifth phase poll include JD(U) ministers Hari Narain Singh (Harnaut), Jitan Ram Manjhi (Makhdumpur), Bhagwan Singh Kushwaha (Jagdishpur) and BJP minister Prem Kumar (Gaya town).
Other candidates are JD(U) chief whip in the state Assembly Shravan Kumar (Nalanda), party MLA Asha Devi (Barhara), Sunil Kumar (Biharsharif), Shyam Rajak (Phulwari), Narendra Kumar Pandey (Tarari), senior BJP leaders Sayadeo Narain Arya (Rajgir) and Amrendra Pratap Singh (Ara).
LJP's Dularchand Yadav is contesting from Arwal. Former RJD ministers who are in the fray in the fifth phase are Surendra Prasad Yadav (Belaganj), Raghvendra Pratap Singh (Barhara), Suresh Paswan (Agiwan) and Rajballabh Prasad (Nawada).
While ruling JD(U) is contesting from 22, its ally-BJP has put up its candidates in rest 13 seats. RJD is contesting at 20 seats, while LJP candidates are in fray in remaining 15 seats. Congress and BSP are contesting from all the seats. CPI has put up its candidates in seven seats, CPI-ML(L) in 23 and CPI-M in two.