The JMM on Tuesday announced to go solo in the Bihar assembly after a failed talk between chief minister and JMM working president Hemant Soren and RJD leader Tejashwai Prasad Yadav over seat sharing in Bihar.
Highly placed sources said that while Soren wanted the JMM should be given a dozen seats under the UPA seat sharing formula Yadav was not ready to give more than two seats.
An exasperated JMM launched an attack on the RJD leadership saying that the new leadership of the RJD has forgotten political decency and sacrifices made by the JMM.
“In Bihar we wanted to contest along with the UPA alliance to defeat the communal party like the BJP and the JD (U), which is a party of negative mindset. We wanted to be the part of change that people of Bihar want. We have the organizational base in Bihar, a fact that RJD is aware of. We also remained a political force in Bihar. In the 2015 Assembly election in Bihar the JMM had extended support to the RJD led alliance because we wanted defeat of the BJP.
But, now it seems that the present-day leadership of the RJD is not aware of this and they are not ready to recognize our sacrifice,” said JMM central general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya at a press conference at the party headquarter.
Bhattacharya said that the JMM will contest selected seats like Jhajha, Chakai, Katoria, Dhamdaha, Manihari, Pirpaiti, Nathnagar among others.
“The JMM has always made sacrifices for its allies. The RJD had no taker in Jharkhand. In the 2019 parliamentary election and Assembly election we gave the RJD more than it deserved. The lone RJD MLA was made minister in the Hemant Soren led government in Jharkhand. We gave the RJD a new lease of life. Chief Minister Hemant Soren and party patriarch Shibu Soren are known for their political decency and they know how to help friends in bad times. But the RJD has forgotten all these,” he said.
Terming RJD as makkar (fraud) the JMM said the RJD president Lalu Prasad must speak about breach of trust by his party.
“We respect Laluji. He champions the cause of social justice and political participation. He should explain now,” he said.
The JMM alleged that a few days back Tejashwi had addressed a press conference announcing seat sharing agreement among UPA alliance partners in Bihar. He had clearly said that the RJD will contest 144 seats and the JMM will be accommodated from the RJD quota.
“We are capable of contesting elections in Bihar on our own. We will contest selected seats and we will win. Tejashwi you stay happy with your 144 seats. But you will need our support post-election because Bihar is heading to a multi-corner contest and the JMM will be a key factor,” he said.
However, immediately it is not clear that this political controversy will have any impact in Jharkhand where the RJD is part of the JMM led government.
“It is too early to make any comment in this regard. But, I can tell you that the JMM can’t be taken for granted anymore,” said a senior JMM leader.