Law Kumar Mishra
Patna March 12
After RJD and Samajwadi Party, now Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) had come out in support of ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and decided not to field its candidates in the ensuing state elections.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday announced that the JMM supremo had conveyed to the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee that the party would extend unconditional support to her party candidates.
Hemant said Mamata had written a letter to the JMM Chief and also talked to him (Hemant) twice over phone seeking JMM support for the TMC candidates. After a lot of deliberations, the party chief decided to extend support to TMC candidates and not field its nominees in the West Bengal elections.
JMM had contested 22 Assembly seats in the 2016 polls in West Bengal. After its emphatic victory in the 2019 Assembly polls in Jharkhand, the party began spreading its wings to the neighbouring state with more intensity and had planned to contest on about 25-30 seats.
In January, Hemant held a rally in Jhargram bordering Jharkhand as part of the preparation. But two months down the line, the party has changed its decision. Hemant said that more than contesting the elections, it was important for all like-minded parties to come together in the interest of the nation.
Former Chief Minister of UP Akhilesh Yadav and former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Tejashwi Prasad Yadav have already announced their parties support to the TMC candidates. Tejashwi had visited Kolkata last week and met Mamata Banerjee before announcing that RJD would support TMC in the elections.
While both the parties would not be in the electoral fray, its leaders would campaign for Mamata Banerjee’s candidates.
Hemant told media persons at Ranchi he had talked to his West Bengal counter and agreed to her request to ensure defeat of the Communal parties in the elections by preventing division in anti-BJP votes.
There are 42 constituencies in West Bengal, where tribal votes are crucial in the elections and JMM ‘s role in the 22 seats close to Jharkhand state are decisive in making or marring the political fortunes of the candidates.
