PATNA, June 6 -- Two principal political parties of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) -- BJP and JD(U) -- on Friday names of candidates for upcoming Legislative Council polls. Nine seats will see election, while one vacated by former chief minister Nitish Kumar will witness bypoll. The elections are scheduled on June 18. Among known names, Niish Kumar's son Nishant Kumar, who is now health minister of Bihar, is being fielded by the JD(U) and Bhojpuri actor-singer Pawan Singh has been named by the BJP. Pawan Singh had first joined the BJP in 2017, but in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he went against the party and contested the independent election from Karakat. On May 22, 2024, the BJP expelled him. At that time, he was a member of the State Working Committee of the party. He, however, returned to the party in September 2024. Rest of three BJP candidates are sitting MLC Sanjay Mayukh (he will have his third term), Anil Kumar Thakur and Sheela Pandit (lone woman). Two candidates have gone to the Extremely Backward Class (EBC) sections and two to the Upper Caste. JD(U) has not fielded any Upper Caste candidate. Apart from Nishant, the other three other JD(U) candidates are Bharti Mehta (Madhubani), Shivani Devi Prajapati (West Champaran) and Lalan Prasad (Sheikhpura). Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) is set to field Deepak Prakash, son of party chief Upendra Kushwaha, who is also minister for panchayati raj in the cabinet of CM Samrat Choudhary . Both Nishant Kumar and Deepak Prakash have to enter either of the Bihar Legislatures fulfil the constitutional requirement to retain their ministerial positions. JD(U) working president Sanjay Jha said that in keeping with the party's policy and party president Nitish Kumar's focus area, two of the four seats have gone to women. "Of the four seats, there are three candidates from the EBC, while one is from the Other Back Class (OBC)," he added. Nine of the 10 seats will have a full six-year term, while one undergoing by-election will see the term of four years. JD(U)'s Lalan Prasad will vie for this seat. The 243-member Bihar Legislative Assembly elects 1/3 of the Council members every two years. The NDA is eyeing all 10 seats due to the overwhelming numbers in the Assembly (out of the existing Assembly strength of 242, NDA has 201 seats), but a united Opposition may get one seat. The NDA has at present seven of the 10 seats (JD-U-5, BJP-2), while the RJD has two and the Congress one. In the 243-member Bihar Legislative Assembly, 25 MLAs are required to elect one member to the Legislative Council and RJD has just as much....