JMM, Cong strike deal to fight BJP in State

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and Congress are said to have finalized a deal for upcoming Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha and Assembly elections where the grand old party will get support of Jharkhand’s principal opposition party in the Rajya Sabha poll scheduled on March 23 and later the Congress will contest Assembly and General elections 2019 in the leadership of the JMM.

JMM working president Hemant Soren today met Congress National President Rahul Gandhi along with JPCC chief Ajoy Kumar and State Congress incharge RPN Singh in New Delhi to discuss the proposal. The leaders apparently agreed to the idea in principle and will make a formal announcement soon.

After the meeting RPN Singh said that several important issues were discussed by the two leaders to strengthen the voice of the masses in Jharkhand. “Whether it’s the poor condition of law and order in State, hunger deaths or administrative failure, we have been raising issues of Jharkhand together. This will continue in future too. The proposal is not only to fight the Rajya Sabha elections together but also the Lok Sabh and Assembly elections in 2019 to root out BJP from the Centre and the State,” he said.

The JMM working president affirmed that the proposal has been made though he said that his party will take a final call. "Rahul Gandhi has given us his word that the upcoming Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections will be fought under the leadership of JMM.

However, I cannot take this decision at my level and I will have to consult the party," said Hemant Soren to media persons.

Ironically, talking to a news channel in Ranchi JMM Chief Shibu Soren questioned the integrity of the Congress party and insisted on taking a written assurance from the leaders before striking any deal. “The proposal looks fine but it should be in black and white. People of Congress have been doing this….they say something and do something else,” said the senior leader.

Notably, the JMM executive committee has authorized its president Shibu Soren and working president Hemant Soren to decide over candidate and other things related to Rajya Sabha elections. Out of the two outgoing Rajya Sabha MPs Sanjeev Kumar is from JMM and Pradeep Balmuchu is from Congress.

In the 81-member Assembly a Rajya Sabha candidate needs 28 votes to ensure victory. The JMM is banking on its 18 MLAs with support from 7 Congress, 2 JVM and 2 Left party MLAs. Altogether the figure will come to 29 votes securing at least one seat for the Opposition.

JMM insiders said that talks were on to bring JVM Chief Babulal Marandi into its fold by proposing him a senior patron’s position in Delhi so that he can play a major role at the Centre in the united front and help root out BJP from the State and the Centre.

Later in the evening a delegation of Opposition

leaders including JMM MPs Sanjeev Kumar and Vijay Hansda alongwith working president Hemant Soren and Congress leaders RPN Singh, Ajoy Kumar visited the Election Commission of India.

The leaders handed over a memorandum demanding free and fair elections in the State. The party has been raising questions over the 2016 Rajya Sabha elections, where they said the BJP misused its power to make one of its candidate win.