Soren rejects Munda’s plea, JMM joins Jamshedpur by-poll (Lead)
June 11th, 2011 - 8:29 pm ICT by IANS
Ranchi, Jun 11 (IANS) Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Shibu Soren, who also heads the ruling alliance’s steering committee, Saturday turned down Chief Minister Arjun Munda’s request not to field a candidate in the Jamshedpur parliamentary constituency by-poll and to support the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), JMM leaders said.
Soren later announced former deputy chief minister Sudhir Mahto would be the JMM candidate for the by-poll. The BJP is likely to name of its candidate Sunday.
Earlier, Munda made last-ditch effort to persuade the JMM not to field its candidate for the election.
The chief minister met Soren at his official residence in the Morabadi Grounds and requested Soren not to field a JMM candidate in the by-poll, slated for July 1. But Soren said his party had already decided to contest, JMM sources said. Munda left Soren’s house in just 15 minutes, the sources said.
After the meeting, Soren’s son and Deputy Chief Minister Hemant Soren said the JMM would contest the by-poll but denied any problems in the ruling alliance due to his party’s decision.
Munda had cut short his US visit and arrived in Ranchi Friday with the dual objective of deciding the party candidate and of persuading Shibu Soren not to field a JMM nominee in the by-poll. He was to return from his tour abroad Tuesday.
On his arrival, Munda asserted that Jamshedpur was a traditional seat of the BJP and the party would fight the poll. Later, BJP leaders authorised him to hold talks with Soren over the issue.
After Munda’s failure to dissuade Soren from fielding a JMM candidate, it seems the BJP and the JMM will campaign against each other in the by-poll.
The by-poll was necessitated after Munda quit his Lok sabha seat and got elected to the state assembly in February.
The Congress and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Progressive (JVM-P), which had contested the last assembly polls together, also have decided to go their separate ways. The JVM-P has fielded Ajay Kumar, a former superintendent of police (SP) in the bypoll. The Congress has chosen party legislator Banna Gupta as party nominee and a formal announcement is likely on Sunday.
- JMM rejects Munda's request not to contest by-poll - Jun 11, 2011
- Munda cuts short US visit for Jamshedpur bypoll - Jun 09, 2011
- Jharkhand ruling alliance bickers over by-poll - Jun 04, 2011
- BJP refutes JMM's power rotation claim - Jul 09, 2011
- JMM to field candidate against Munda in by-poll (Lead) - Jan 13, 2011
- JMM eyes Jameshedpur Lok Sabha seat after Munda victory - Feb 18, 2011
- 'Files pending as Jharkhand top brass focuses on by-poll' - Jun 28, 2011
- Opposition to field common candidate against Munda in by-poll - Jan 21, 2011
- Marandi seeking Maoist help to win Jamshedpur by-poll: Munda - Jun 30, 2011
- Police complaint against Jharkhand BJP president - Jul 02, 2011
- Munda to be ruling alliance joint nominee for by-poll: Soren - Jan 18, 2011
- Munda faces tough by-poll as campaigning ends - Feb 08, 2011
- Jharkhand's Rajya Sabha poll could leave Munda shaky - May 01, 2012
- JMM undecided, opposition to fight Munda in bypoll - Jan 13, 2011
- JMM wants Lok Sabha seat to help Munda in assembly poll - Nov 30, 2010
Tags: assembly polls, bharatiya janata party, deputy chief minister, dual objective, hemant, jmm, jvm, last assembly, last ditch effort, Lok Sabha, mukti, munda, parliamentary constituency, party candidate, separate ways, shibu soren, state assembly, steering committee, traditional seat, vikas