Jharkhand deal done: JMM to fight from 43 seats, Congress 30

RANCHI: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha will contest for 43 seats in the five-phase assembly elections that starts on November 30, while Congress, its junior partner in the mahagathbandhan (grand alliance), will field candidates in 31 constituencies, senior leaders of the two parties announced at a joint press conference in Ranchi on Friday.
“JMM, Congress and RJD will contest on a 43:31:7 formula for the 81 seats.JMM working president Hemant Soren, also a former CM, will be our CM candidate,” the leaders said in a joint statement. The five-phase polls will be held on November 30, December 7, 12, 16 and 20.
RJD, which has been left with just seven seats, stayed away from the press conference addressed by JMM working president Hemant Soren and state Congress chief Rameshwar Oraon. While JMM and Congress said the formula was chalked with everyone’s consent, RJD’s absence raised several questions.
Congress’s Jharkhand in-charge RPN Singh said there will be no friendly fight in any of the seats. Clarifying RJD’s position, Soren said, “There are no differences among the parties. We have been engaging with RJD leaders and they had come to Ranchi on Thursday to work out an understanding.”
RJD working president Tejashwi Yadav explained his absence, saying he went to meet his father Lalu Prasad. When asked if RJD was satisfied with the seat-sharing formula, Tejashwi said, “No party will ever be satisfied with the number of seats they get in an alliance.”