Six MLAs contesting Lok Sabha polls in Jharkhand

Six legislators, including one minister, are in the Lok Sabha poll fray in Jharkhand.

While the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the Congress have fielded two MLAs each, the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) and the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM-P) have given poll ticket to one legislstor each.

Two MLAs, including a Minister, are contesting the Giridih Lok Sabha seat.

The Congress has fielded Sukhdeo Bhagat from Lohardaga and Geeta Koda from Chaibasa seats, both reserved for tribals.

In the BJP stronghold of Lohardaga, former state Congress chief Sukhdeo Bhagat will take on two-time BJP MP and Union Minister Sudarshan Bhagat.

Geeta Koda, wife of former Chief Minister Madhu Koda, will take on state BJP President and sitting MP Lakshman Giluwa in Chaibasa. Chaibasa, a Congress bastion, has elected Bagun Sumbrai five times.

The JMM has fielded Champai Soren from Jamshedpur and Jagarnath Mahto from Giridih. Soren will take on outgoing BJP MP Vidyut Baran Mahto, a former JMM leader.

In Giridih, it's a clash of two MLAs. JMM's Jagarnath Mahto is contesting against AJSU's Chandra Prakash Chaudhary, Water Resources Minister in the Raghubar Das cabinet.

The BJP has given the Giridih seat to ally AJSU as per their seat-sharing pact. Both the BJP and the JMM have won the Giridih seat in past.

The Congress, the JMM, the JVM-P and the RJD are fighting the polls in the state as part of the grand alliance.

The JVM-P has fielded MLA Pradeep Yadav from the Godda Lok Sabha constituency, represented by Nishikant Dubey of the BJP since 2009. The Congress wanted to contest the seat, but has given it the JVM-P after its President Babulal Marandi insisted on it.

--IANS

ns/rtp/pcj