Political parties weigh options in Jharkhand
October 27th, 2009 - 9:10 pm ICT by IANS
Ranchi, Oct 27 (IANS) Political parties are examining their options as Jharkhand braces for the November-December elections to pick a 81-member assembly.
The Congress has shut its doors for former friend Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). But it is not averse to allying with the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prjatantrik (JVM-P) of Lok Sabha MP and former chief minister Babulal Marandi.
Like the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), JMM chief Shibu Soren has made it clear that he wants to go it alone in the five-phase elections that begin Nov 27 and end Dec 18.
A meeting of Congress leaders Monday in New Delhi, presided over by the party’s Jharkhand in-charge Kesav Rao, discussed the election strategy.
“We are not averse to the idea of forming an alliance with the JVM-P. We are ready to give around 20 seats to JVM-P. Now Marandi has to decide,” a Congress leader told IANS.
But Marandi wants to contest half the assembly seats. This is unacceptable to the Congress.
Most Congress leaders favour contesting on the party’s own strength. But pundits say the Congress is weak in some areas and so an an alliance with JVM-P would help.
The JVM-P got 10.5 percent of all votes in the 2009 Lok Sabha election in Jharkhand. Upbeat, it is trying to forge an alliance with the Congress or RJD to give a tough fight to the BJP.
Marandi was the first chief minister of Jharkhand. He quit the BJP in 2006 and floated his own party. The JVM-P is trying hard to emerge as a force by cracking the vote bank of both the BJP and JMM.
“We are talking to the Congress and RJD. We hope the alliance issue will be decided in a day or two,” Pradeep Yadav, general secretary of JVM-P, told IANS.
Jharkhand’s BJP leaders have announced they will fight it out on their own. “The best we can do is not to field our candidates in seats held by JD-U (Janata Dal-United),” said a BJP leader.
Snubbed by the Congress, the RJD is likely to embrace the JVM-P and Lok Janshakti Party of Ramvilas Paswan. RJD and LJP fought the Lok Sabha election together.
- BJP backtracks, votes for JMM candidate - Mar 30, 2012
- Marandi's party to stay away from Rajya Sabha poll - Apr 23, 2012
- Jharkhand Rajya Sabha polls: Congress, JMM win, BJP loses - May 03, 2012
- BJP to back JMM candidates if it joins NDA - Apr 16, 2012
- Jharkhand Rajya Sabha poll underway, JVM-P stays away - May 03, 2012
- JVM-P not averse to forming government with Congress - May 26, 2010
- Congress dumps old allies, embraces former BJP man - Nov 05, 2009
- Whom to support for Hatia by-poll? JMM to decide May 28 - May 26, 2012
- Jharkhand ruling alliance bickers over by-poll - Jun 04, 2011
- Jharkhand's ruling alliance to face each other in Hatia by-poll - May 23, 2012
- Congress terms JMM, RJD 'natural allies' - Dec 18, 2009
- Ahuwalia files nomination for Jharkhand Rajya Sabha poll - Apr 21, 2012
- Congress, JMM seek review of cancellation of RS poll - Mar 31, 2012
- Major political parties to go alone in Jharkhand polls - Sep 22, 2009
- BJP withdraws support, Soren given week to prove majority (Roundup) - May 24, 2010
Tags: assembly seats, bharatiya janata party, bjp leader, bjp leaders, chief minister, congress leader, congress leaders, election strategy, general secretary, jmm, lok sabha election, marandi, member assembly, political parties, pradeep, ranchi, rjd, shibu soren, vikas, vote bank