JMM to field candidate against Munda in by-poll (Lead)
January 13th, 2011 - 7:47 pm ICT by IANS
Ranchi, Jan 13 (IANS) Stunning his coalition partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Shibu Soren Thursday said his party would field its candidate against Chief Minister Arjun Munda in the Kharsawa assembly by-poll.”Yes, my party will field a candidate in the by-poll,” Soren told reporters here when asked about his party’s stand in the crucial election.
The BJP was expecting that the JMM, being a key alliance partner, would back Munda in the by-poll.
According to BJP sources, the JMM chief’s statement is a move to force the party to give up Jamshedpur Lok Sabha seat, currently held by Munda, in favour of the JMM.
The All Jharkhand Students’ Union, another partner in the alliance government, Wednesday announced its support to Munda in the by-poll slated for Feb 10.
The main opposition parties have announced they would field their candidates against Munda. The Congress, the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P) and other opposition parties have decided to join the fray in Kharsawa.
BJP legislator Mangal Singh Soy vacated the Kharsawa assembly seat in November to facilitate Munda to get elected. Munda became the chief minister in September last year and in compliance with the statutory requirement he has to get elected to the state assembly within six months of being sworn-in the chief minister.
The Election Commission Wednesday announced that nominations for the bypoll will begin Jan 17 and the polling will take place Feb 10. The votes will be counted Feb 17.
Munda had won the Kharsawa seat in 1995 on a JMM ticket. He joined the BJP just before the 2000 assembly polls. He again won the seat in 2000 and 2005 on the BJP ticket. In 2009 assembly elections, BJP’s Soy won the seat.
- Munda files nomination for Kharsawa by-poll - Jan 19, 2011
- Munda to be ruling alliance joint nominee for by-poll: Soren - Jan 18, 2011
- JMM undecided, opposition to fight Munda in bypoll - Jan 13, 2011
- Opposition to field common candidate against Munda in by-poll - Jan 21, 2011
- Munda faces tough by-poll as campaigning ends - Feb 08, 2011
- Munda wins Jharkhand by-poll, to stay as chief minister (Lead) - Feb 17, 2011
- JMM eyes Jameshedpur Lok Sabha seat after Munda victory - Feb 18, 2011
- 70 percent turnout in by-poll to decide Munda's fate (Lead) - Feb 10, 2011
- Soren rejects Munda's plea, JMM joins Jamshedpur by-poll (Lead) - Jun 11, 2011
- Jharkhand by-poll Feb 17, students union backs Munda - Jan 12, 2011
- JMM rejects Munda's request not to contest by-poll - Jun 11, 2011
- Jharkhand ruling alliance bickers over by-poll - Jun 04, 2011
- JMM wants Lok Sabha seat to help Munda in assembly poll - Nov 30, 2010
- Voting begins to decide Munda's fate in Jharkhand - Feb 10, 2011
- Munda in byelection Thursday - Feb 09, 2011
Tags: alliance government, alliance partner, assembly elections, assembly polls, assembly seat, chief minister, coalition partner, election commission, favour, legislator, Lok Sabha, mukti, munda, opposition parties, place feb, shibu soren, state assembly, statutory requirement, students union, vikas