The remaining will go to the partners of grand Alliance
Team News Riveting
Ranchi, October 19
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Congress of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A) are likely to contest 70 out of 81 seats in ensuing Jharkhand assembly elections.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren Saturday said the alliance would contest the upcoming Jharkhand assembly polls together. The Congress and ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha will field candidates in 70 of the 81 assembly segments, he added.
“We can’t go into the details of the seat-sharing right now. Our alliance partner is not here right now. When they are here, we will finalise the number of seats and other details,” Soren told reporters. The seat-sharing talks are on with other alliance partners – RJD and Left parties – for the remaining 11 assembly segments, he added.
Soren’s announcement came a day after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) announced its seat-sharing formula for the state. BJP will contest 68 seats, while its allies, All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) will contest 10, Janata Dal (United) will contest two and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) will contest the lone seat of Chatra.
Jharkhand will go to the polls in two phases on November 13 and 20. The counting of votes will be take place on November 23.
In the last elections, JMM had contested 43 seats while Congress fielded its candidates in 31 seats. Sources said Congress was likely to get 27 to 28 seats. The JMM is expected to increase its share as the alliance wish to bet on Hemant Soren and project him as a key face in Jharkhand.
According to the sources, the Communist Party of India (M-L) and Marxist Coordination Committee (MMC) also want to join forces with the JMM and Congress in this election. The Rashtriya Janata Dal, which fought on seven seats in the last assembly polls, is expected to contest fewer seats this time and agree to give the Bagodar seat to CPI (M-L) and Nirsa to MMC, they added.
In the 2019 Assembly polls, the JMM won 30 of the 81 seats, the Congress 16 and the RJD won one seat. The three parties formed a coalition government with a comfortable majority. The BJP won 25 seats, down from 37 in 2014, while the AJSU Party, contesting alone, ended up winning two seats.
