Jharkhand elections: Opposition stitches up alliance without Left and JVM

JMM will contest 43 seats, Congress 31 and RJD 7 seats; no friendly contests allowed.

MM Supremo Hemant Soren (L), Congress leader RPN Singh (C), Congress Jharkhand President Rameshwar Oraon (2R) along with other RJD leaders address a joint press conference to declare seat sharing for the forthcoming Assembly election in Ranchi, Jharkhand

RANCHI: Putting an end to grand-alliance suspense, the Opposition leaders on Friday declared that JMM, Congress and RJD will be contesting the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly polls together.

Jharkhand in-charge of Congress RPN Singh said the allies would have no friendly contests on any of the seats. Singh said that the opposition will contest under Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leadership with Hemant Soren as its chief ministerial candidate.

“No friendly fights will be allowed on any of the seats,” he added.

RJD, however, expressed unhappiness over not getting ‘the desired number of seats’ with Tejaswi Yadav, despite being in Ranchi, keeping off a joint press conference to announce the firming up of the alliance.

The RJD wants at least nine seats, but JMM and Congress were not ready to spare more than seven seats to it.

Singh said RJD has been given Deoghar, Godda, Koderma, Chatra, Barkatha, Chhatarpur and Hussainabad seats. The RJD has no member in Jharkhand house at present.   

Singh said according to the seat-sharing formula chalked out after a marathon meeting of senior party leaders of Congress, JMM and RJD, JMM will contest on 43 seats, Congress on 31 and RJD will contest seven seats. 

The JVM and Left parties did not find a mention. In the first phase of polls to be held on November 30 on 13 Assembly seats, Congress will contest five seats, JMM and RJD four seats each. 

Soren, however, said, the RJD was informed of the decision but asked for time to convey it to party chief Lalu Prasad.

Meanwhile, JVM-P chief Babulal Marandi on Friday announced candidates on all 13 Assembly seats going to polls in the first phase.

Rs 51,000 for a ticket

To collect party fund, JMM is demanding Rs 51,000 from those seeking ticket for contesting polls in the state. Party officials claimed that the money will help it in contesting the polls besides checking non-serious candidates from coming into the poll-fray.

“This is not a party funded by Adani or Ambani, hence we require money to contest elections,” said JMM General Secretary Vinod Pandey.

(With inputs from PTI)