JMM and BJP at loggerheads over Jamshedpur Lok Sabha seat

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) which is a partner in the BJP-led coalition government has announced on April 3 that it would field its own candidate for the by-election to the Jamshedpur Lok Sabha seat.

Interestingly, the BJP national president Nitin Gadkari had announced in Ranchi on February 27 that BJP would contest the by-election of Jamshedpur parliamentary seat.

The Jamshedpur Lok Sabha seat had fallen vacant after Arjun Munda (BJP) resigned the seat to become MLA and retain the post of chief minister.

Munda contested the by- election of Kharswan Assembly seat in February this year and defeated his nearest rival former chief minister Babulal Marandi’s Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) candidate Dashrath alias Krishna Gagrai by 17,386 votes..

Munda had been elected member of Lok Sabha from Jamshedpur in 2009 defeating his nearest JMM rival Suman Mahto by over 1.19 lakh votes. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) which is an ally in the Arjun Munda led government had not placed its candidate against Munda in Kharswan Assembly seat and supported Munda’s candidature for Khasrswan Assembly seat with the expectation that BJP would support JMM in placing its candidate for the vacant Jamshedpr Lok Sabha seat.

The recent topic in the political circle in the state capital is now whether BJP will surrender the Jamshedpur seat for JMM in appreciation of its gesture towards Munda for winning the Kharswan Assembly seat as Munda after swearing-in as Jharkhand’s eighth chief minister on September 11 last year had to become MLA within six months from the date.

Meanwhile, BJP national president’s announcement in placing its candidate for Jamshedpur Lok Sabha seat has created negative reaction among JMM towards its BJP ally.