JMM to contest bypolls for two Jharkhand seats

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has announced it will field candidates in two assembly constituencies in the May 16 bypolls, indicating the failure of different opposition parties in Jharkhand to put up a united fight against the ruling BJP.

"The chances of an (opposition) alliance has ended. We have decided to field candidates on both Panki and Godda assembly seats," JMM leader and former chief minister Hemant Soren told reporters here.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will field its nominees on both seats.

The Congress has also decided to contest the Panki seat which fell vacant after its legislator Videsh Singh died of a heart attack.

The RJD too has announced its intention of contesting from Godda, which was represented by the BJP's Raghunandan Mandal who also died of a heart attack.

"We are trying to field united candidates and the efforts are on in this regard. We are still hopeful that an alliance will be formed against the BJP," said Congress state president Sukhdeo Bhagat.

Meanwhile, the Rashtriya Janata Dal of Lalu Prasad is still hopeful of getting the support of both the Congress and the JMM for the Godda seat.

"Like Bihar, we want to fight unitedly against the BJP in Jharkhand. We are hopeful of a united fight against the BJP" RJD leader Annapurna Devi said.

--IANS

ns/tsb/bg