BUXAR/ARA, Sept. 7 -- Even before the seat-sharing between NDA alliance partners could be announced, JD(U) national president and chief minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday announced the name of JD(U) candidate from Rajpur (reserved constituency for SC) of Buxar district on Saturday. The announcement has come as a surprise as NDA is still to announce seat-sharing formula. On Saturday, while addressing a public meeting in Buxar, Nitish Kumar announced former minister Santosh Kumar Nirala as the NDA candidate from the Rajpur (Reserved) constituency. Pointing to Nirala during his speech, the Chief Minister appealed directly to the people to ensure his victory. "We request you, please pay attention, make him (Santosh Nirala) win. If you so want, we will get elected in large numbers. These Congress people have created a lot of chaos - have they done any work to date? They only created trouble. Now see, everyone is working," Nitish said. Nirala, had represented Rajpur assembly constituency for two times. He won the assembly election from this constituency in the year 2010 and 2015 and was a minister of transport and SC/ST welfare department in Nitish cabinet. The Rajpur (SC) seat in Buxar district has witnessed tough contests in the past. In the year 2020, Nirala was defeated by Congress candidate Vishwanath Ram. Vishwanath Ram defeated Nirala by a margin of 21,204 votes. INC candidate got 67,871 votes while JD(U) candidate got 46,667 votes. In the 2015 Assembly Elections, contesting under the Grand Alliance, Santosh Kumar Nirala defeated the BJP's Vishwanath Ram by 32,788 votes and later served as transport minister in the Nitish Kumar Cabinet. By announcing Nirala's name ahead of the NDA's official seat-sharing formula, Nitish Kumar has sent a strong message to both allies and rivals. Addressing the party workers, CM once again invoked memories of the Lalu-Rabri regime, urging voters to compare the past with his government's work. He also interacted with party activists and local representatives. "What was there in Bihar 20 years ago? Now, good work is happening everywhere. With the support of the Centre, we will take Bihar forward. Bihar will not remain behind-it will once again be at the forefront in the country," Nitish added. Earlier, the CM laid foundation stone and inaugurated 28 schemes worth Rs.504.82 crore. Out of these, he inaugurated 12 schemes worth rs 147 crore and laid foundation stone for 16 schemes worth Rs.357.82 crore including the foundation stone of improvement, blackening and protective work on Buxar-Koilwar Ganges embankment. He also laid foundation stone for 'Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan Sangit college' worth Rs.13.57 crore. In Bhojpur, CM laid foundation stone and inaugurated 432 schemes worth Rs.740.38 core. The most awaited scheme for which foundation stone was laid was conversion of six lane from existing four lane of road connecting Ara-Buxar four lane (NH-922) to Chapra through Babura at a cost of Rs.105.16 crore. At Jagdishpur, the CM said within five years, one crore youth will be given jobs and employment. He enumerated in detail about the works done by his government for common people. He also attacked on alleged misrule of RJD era. In Bhojpur, CM handed over Rs.2.24 crore to the 187 affected person of Jawainia, a village affected by erosion of Ganges and flood....