BIG setback for INDIA bloc as JMM to go solo in Bihar polls; says will ‘review’ alliance, ensure no govt is formed without…

Bihar Assembly Election: In a major setback for the Opposition INDIA bloc, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has announced that it will contest the upcoming Bihar assembly election independently, and would “review” its alliance with the Congress and RJD in Jharkhand after the Bihar polls.

Why JMM is contesting Bihar polls independently?

Addressing a presser on Saturday, JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya revealed that his party will contest six seats in Bihar, said the number may go up to 10 as JMM is “discussing the matter”.

The party has decided to contest the Bihar polls on its own. It will contest six assembly seats – Chakai, Dhamdaha, Katoria (ST), Manihari (ST), Jamui and Pirpainti (SC),” Bhattacharya said, adding that the number of seats may rise to 10, when asked whether JMM  would consider contesting more seats.

On why JMM decided to go solo in Bihar polls, Bhattacharya said JMM had asked INDIA bloc constituents, including Congress and RJD, to provide them the seats they demanded, but the seat-sharing deadlock could not be resolved.

“We had urged constituents of the INDIA bloc like the Congress, Left parties and the RJD, which is one of the largest parties in Bihar, to provide the seats demanded by the JMM. In the 2019 Jharkhand election, we had given our support to Congress and RJD. The party not only gave seven seats to RJD, but also made its MLA from Chatra a minister,” he said, adding that even in the 2024 Jharkhand polls, JMM gave six seats to the RJD and “accommodated an MLA as minister”.

‘Will ensure no govt is formed without JMM’

Earlier, the JMM had asked INDIA bloc leaders in Bihar that the party would take its own decision on contesting the upcoming assembly polls, if it as a not allotted “a respectful number of seats” by October 14. The JMM, which runs a coalition government with the Congress and RJD in Jharkhand, had demanded 12 seats to become a part of the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar.

Meanwhile, Bhattacharya called the upcoming Bihar Assembly Election a multi-corner fight where “infighting prevails in the NDA as well as the INDIA bloc” and asserted that the JMM would ensure that its not excluded from the new government

We will fight, win and make sure that without the JMM, no government is formed in Bihar. And, after the Bihar polls, the JMM will have a relook at the coalition in Jharkhand,” the JMM leader said.

JMM has already announced its list of 20 “star campaigners” for the elections, including its its president and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, his wife and Gandey MLA, Kalpana Soren, Dumka legislator Basant Soren, along with senior party leaders Stephen Marandi and Sarfaraj Ahmed.

Bihar Assembly Election will be held in two phases on November 6 and November 11, with the counting of votes to follow on November 14. More than 1,250 candidates filed their papers for the 121 seats as the filing of nomination papers for the first phase of Assembly polls concluded on Friday, according to the Election Commission.

(With PTI inputs)