RANCHI: Amid speculations that the NDA is on the verge of collapse in Jharkhand, the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) is still waiting for official word from the BJP headquarters in Delhi on seat-sharing.
Meanwhile, sitting BJP MLA and chief whip in the Assembly Radha Krishn Kishore joined the AJSU on Tuesday after being denied ticket from Hussainabad.
AJSU chief Sudesh Mahto, welcoming Kishore at the party office, said the party was not ready to go on the backfoot.
“AJSU is still firm on its stand that the alliance should have a common agenda for which both the parties will work for the next five years and that seat-sharing should be done on the basis of mass base,” said Mahto.
He added that the AJSU announced its 12 candidates on Monday after registering its objections against BJP on Sunday declaring 52 candidates.
“Announcement of seats is done by alliance partners only after talks over seat-sharing are over, but the first list was announced by the BJP while talks were going on,” said the AJSU chief.
He said his party handed over to the BJP a list of 17 names it wanted tickets for. “I am still waiting for their reply,” said Mahto.
State BJP leaders, on the other hand, sought to strike a conciliatory note and said the AJSU had been a sensitive ally and would remain so in future also.
The final decision, however, will be taken by the BJP central leadership after feedback from the state leaders, they added. Jharkhand will vote in five phases from November 30.
JMM leader quits, may join AJSU
JMM Central Committee secretary Akeel Akhtar has quit from the primary membership of the party.
In his resignation letter sent to Shibu Soren, Akhtar did not cite any reason for quitting the party. A source close to Akhtar said that he is likely to join the AJSU on Wednesday.
JVM ticket to harassment accused MLA
The second list of Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) on Tuesday included the name of sitting MLA Pradip Yadav, accused of sexual harassment by a woman in the run-up to the LS polls. He got bail on September 28 from the high court.