New Delhi: The INDIA bloc in Jharkhand is facing a new hurdle in deciding the seat-sharing formula. Earlier, the Congress had almost reached an agreement on a seat-sharing formula after discussing with all parties ahead of the state assembly elections. Under this formula, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) was to contest on 43 seats, Congress on 29, Rashtriya Janata Dal 5, and Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) on 4 seats.
However, on Friday, former BJP MLA from Jamua Kedar Hajra and former vice president of All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) and ex-MLA from Chandankyari Umakant Rajak joined the JMM ahead of the upcoming polls. After this, the JMM has demanded two more seats from the Congress. As a result, the alliance’s previous seat-sharing formula has fallen flat.
Hemant Soren welcomes the leaders into party
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren welcomed the leaders into the JMM party. Taking to X, CM Hemant Soren wrote, “Two hard-working leaders of Jharkhand, Kedar Hazra ji and brother Umakant Rajak ji, along with their thousands of supporters are heartily welcomed into the JMM family, Johar. Jharkhand will win!”
The Election Commission announced the dates of the Jharkhand assembly polls on Tuesday. The elections will be held in the state in two phases on November 13 and November 20. The results will be out on November 23.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has declared a tentative seat-sharing deal between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), AJSU, Janata Dal (United) and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas). As part of the pact, AJSU will contest 10 seats, JD(U) two and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) one, said Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is the BJP co-in-charge for Jharkhand Assembly elections, on Friday.
The current term of the Jharkhand Assembly concludes on January 5. In the 2019 elections, the JMM defeated the BJP by securing 30 seats, while the BJP got 25 seats and Congress bagged 16. The eligible voting population of the state is about 26 million.
The nomination filing process for the first phase began on Friday. It will continue till October 25. The nominations can be withdrawn until October 30, the election officials said.
