Jharkhand ruling coalition names Shibu Soren as RS candidate

JMM president and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren is one of the two candidates for the biennial Rajya Sabha elections from the state, leaders of the ruling coalition announced here on Thursday.

The polls are scheduled on March 26.

AICC in-charge R P N Singh told reporters that the senior Soren would be one of the two candidates for the Rajya Sabha election from the ruling group.

He said Soren had been an architect in the Jharkhand movement and worked for the poor.

JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya said the ruling JMM/Congress/RJD allies would ensure victory for the second seat as well.

"We expect Guruji (as Soren is known) to win unopposed," Bhattacharya told reporters. He said talks were on to name the second candidate.

Prem Chand Gupta of RJD and Parimal Nathwani (Independent) are retiring from the upper house of Parliament from Jharkhand on April 9.

In the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly, JMM has 29 MLAs, BJP 25, Congress 16, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) 3, AJSU party 2, RJD 1, CPI-ML (Liberation) 1, NCP 1 and Independents 2.

There is one nominated member.