Opposition parties are ready to bury their hatchets to take on the mighty BJP in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Inching closer among themselves, the opposition in Jharkhand is likely to declare their seat sharing formula by next month. The early announcement is being considered important looking at the challenge posed from the front as well as the level of differences existing within.
Highly placed sources in the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) quipped to The Pioneer that all the stakeholders in the form of the main Opposition parties in the State, Congress, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha, RJD and the Left have more or less agreed to the formula.
“Most of the things have been decided on paper. Our top leadership would sit together and announcement would be made in the first fortnight of November after the festivals are over,” said a senior JMM leader requesting anonymity.
It is also learnt that the JMM under the aegis of its executive president and Leader of the Opposition in the State Hemant Soren has agreed to play second fiddle to the Congress as far as Lok Sabha elections are concerned. “It is a kind of give and take. The Congress is likely to contest over eight seats leaving four to the JMM. JVM and others would get the rest. In return, the JMM would spearhead the Assembly elections which are to be held soon after,” said an AICC secretary.
Jharkhand altogether has 14 Lok Sabha seats and leaving aside two to the JMM, the rest had fallen to BJP’s kitty in 2014 thanks to the Modi juggernaut. JMM is seemingly not complaining since the party is more concerned about State politics and managed to get stamp from the Congress in the name of Hemant Soren for the chief ministership. Soren in return has showed no objection to the projection of Congress national president Rahul Gandhi for the country’s top post.
However the Congress leadership at the same time is apprehensive against ‘foul play’ on the part of the BJP. “We all have seen what happened to Mayawati. They can resort to any tactic to stop the alliance of Opposition parties from coming up strongly against them. This may happen here in Jharkhand as well,” said the secretary alleging misuses of the Central probe agencies to tame unyielding leaders.
Similar are the views of the Babulal Marandi-led JVM which is pressing for two to three seats for the Lok Sabha eying for a better treatment during the Assembly elections. “Preliminary level talks have happened. We within the party are going to seek 2-3 seats. Koderma is sure for Babulal Marandi whereas we also want Godda and Chatra,” said JVM vice president Saba Ahmad.