JMM to contest Bihar polls independently, review alliance in Jharkhand

The JMM on Saturday announced that it will contest the Bihar assembly polls independently, and said the party would “review” its alliance with the Congress and RJD in Jharkhand after the elections in the neighbouring state.

  Addressing a press conference, JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya said the party will field candidates in six seats in Bihar.

  Elections to 243 seats of the Bihar assembly will be held on November 6 and November 11, and the votes will be counted on November 14. 

“The party has decided to contest the Bihar polls on its own. It will contest six assembly seats – Chakai, Dhamdaha, Katoria (ST), Manihari (ST), Jamui and Pirpainti (SC),” Bhattacharya said.

  These seats will go to polls in the second phase on November 11.

  Asked if the JMM would consider contesting more seats in Bihar, Bhattacharya said: “We are discussing the matter... The number of seats may rise to 10.” The JMM had on October 11 communicated to INDIA bloc leaders that the party would take its own decision on contesting the Bihar polls, if “a respectful number of seats” was not allocated to it by October 14. The JMM had demanded 12 seats for the polls as an ally of the coalition.

  “We had urged constituents of the INDIA bloc like the Congress, Left parties and the RJD, which is one of the largest parties in Bihar, to provide the seats demanded by the JMM. In the 2019 Jharkhand election, we had given our support to Congress and RJD. The party not only gave seven seats to RJD, but also made its MLA from Chatra a minister,” Bhattacharya said.

  Even in the 2024 Jharkhand polls, JMM gave six seats to the RJD and “accommodated an MLA as minister”, he said.

  Bhattacharya also said the battle of Bihar is a multi-corner fight where “infighting prevails in the NDA as well as the INDIA bloc”.

  “We will fight, win and make sure that without the JMM, no government is formed in Bihar,” he asserted.

  “And, after the Bihar polls, the JMM will have a relook at the coalition in Jharkhand,” Bhattacharya added.

  The party also declared a list of 20 “star campaigners” for the elections, which will be led by its president and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren. 

The other star campaigners include the CM's wife and Gandey MLA, Kalpana Soren, Dumka legislator Basant Soren, senior party leaders Stephen Marandi and Sarfaraj Ahmed.