The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress, RJD and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) have decided to contest the upcoming general elections together forming Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) in the State. The grand alliance leaders have decided to make Congress as the face in the general elections, while the JMM will be alliance face in the state elections.
However, the alliance partners have yet to reach to any conclusion on seat sharing formula and decide on the number of seats they will contest on. Sources said that the main hurdle behind finalising the seat sharing formula is Congress strong tactics bargaining for more seats.
JMM general secretary and party spokesperson, Supriyo Bhattacharya said, “The alliance will reach on consensus on seat sharing formula within a week. However, the alliance partners are yet to decide on number of seats the four parties will contest for general elections.” Bhattacharya, however, claimed that Congress will be in the role of big brother in general elections, while JMM will get more seats in assembly elections.
Echoing the views of Bhattacharya , State Congress spokesperson, Rajesh Thakur said, “The seat sharing formula will be settled within a week. The seats will be divided among parties on the basis of winnability of seats. The alliance partners are collecting feedback from every constituency.”
Sources said that Congress strong posturing as the big brother in the alliance gains importance as the party is in cloud nine after winning Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, also the Kolebira by-election result has come as an added advantage for the party.
The party before general elections is on expansion mode pan India, with its party national president holding rallies at different parts of country. The party, to regain its old image, organised a rally at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan on Sunday which was addressed by Rahul Gandhi. The rally in Patna was held after a gap of nearly 30 years. The Congress was reduced to marginal player in Bihar ever since Mandal burst in political scene in the 1990s.
Sources said that though the final seats sharing formula between four parties is yet to be decided, Congress is going to contest seven to eight Lok Sabha seats, JMM four to five, JVM (P) three seats while leaving the one of two seats for RJD. JMM has pitched for two seats of Santhal Pargana which includes Dumka and Raj Mahal constituency, apart from bargaining for Chaibasa and Giridih seats. Similarly, JVM (P) leadership is lobbying for three seats which include Koderma, Godda and Chatra seats. The RJD is lobbying for two seats which include Palamu and Chatra seats.
Sources said that the coming together of all four parties in grand alliance gains importance as in last Assembly election percentage wise the votes shares of grand alliance parties was more than saffron party BJP. In last Assembly election, BJP has garnered 31.80 percent of total votes share with its alliance partners AJSU having 3.74 percent votes, opposition parties JMM has secured 20.78 percent, followed by Congress with 10.64 percentage, JVM (P) with 10.16 percentage while RJD had secured 3.18 percentage.
However, the ruling party BJP is undeterred with grand alliance. BJP leader and party MLA from Raj Mahal Anant Ojha said, “In last general election, the BJP got a vote share of 40.17 percent which is 7 percent more than the total vote percentage of other partiesEven then Congress, JMM and RJD contested the election in alliance. This time they have JVM(P) in kitty, but the party is irrelevant and is hardly going to make any difference.”