Ranchi: In a decisive move ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Congress divided 70 out of 81 assembly seats among themselves, while leaders from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (CPI(ML)) were notably absent from the discussions.
During a press conference held at the Chief Minister’s residence in Kanke, JMM Working President and Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced that candidates from JMM and Congress will contest 70 seats. He stated that discussions will continue with other allies regarding the allocation of the remaining 11 seats.
Soren emphasised that the specific distribution of the 70 seats between JMM and Congress will be disclosed at a later date. This announcement marks a significant shift from the 2019 election formula, where the grand alliance, including RJD, saw JMM securing 43 seats, Congress 31 and RJD 7.
Key leaders present at the press conference included Congress state in-charge Ghulam Ahmed Mir, Congress Legislature Party leader Rameshwar Oraon, JMM MLA Sudivya Kumar Sonu, JMM central general secretary Vinod Pandey and former state Congress president Rajesh Thakur. However, the absence of RJD and CPI (ML) leaders raised eyebrows, as these parties were part of the previous alliance.
