GG News Bureau
Patna, 20th Oct: In a dramatic turn, Hemant Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has announced it will not contest the Bihar Assembly elections, days after declaring plans to go solo on six seats. The JMM, a key ally in the Opposition INDIA bloc, blamed the Congress and Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) for what it termed a “political conspiracy” that sidelined it from the seat-sharing talks.
Senior JMM leader and Jharkhand Tourism Minister Sudivya Kumar said the party would review its alliance with both the RJD and Congress in Jharkhand. “The RJD and Congress conspired to keep JMM out of Bihar. We will give a befitting reply and reconsider our ties with them,” Kumar said.
The JMM had earlier announced candidates for six constituencies—Chakai, Dhamdaha, Katoria, Manihari, Jamui and Pirpainti—but withdrew after alleging betrayal by its INDIA bloc partners. Kumar warned that the Mahagathbandhan would “suffer the consequences” of its exclusionary approach.
The setback comes amid deepening cracks within the Opposition alliance, which has failed to finalise seat-sharing even as the nomination deadline for the first phase ended today. Elections for all 243 Bihar Assembly seats will be held in two phases—on November 6 and 11—with results to be declared on November 14.
