JAMSHEDPUR: After a successful year in the coalition government in Jharkhand, JMM, the principal party among the Mahagathbandhan constituents here, is now looking to fulfil its dream of a Greater Jharkhand and foray into West Bengal in the upcoming assembly election in the neighbouring state.
In order to realise its dream, the party will hold a mega rally on January 28 in West Bengal’s Jhargram district (a tribal-dominated area) and depending on its success, JMM will decide whether it will join hands with like-minded parties or go it alone in the election.
Although JMM has bestowed responsibility on its Bengal unit for organising the rally, the party’s leaders in Jharkhand are playing an active role in making it a success as both Shibu Soren and Hemant Soren’s are likely to be present in the event.
Speaking to TOI on Friday, JMM MLA from Baharagora Sameer Mahanty said, “For long the people living in Jangalmahal area (adjoining Jharkhand) of West Bengal have been demanding to be a part of Greater Jharkhand which has been a part of JMM’s agenda for long. If the party gets a good number of seats from areas that are a part of its Greater Jharkhand dream, the demand will get the necessary steam. JMM is very serious this time about contesting the West Bengal assembly polls.”
Mahanty has been instructed to shoulder the responsibility of successfully organising the rally.
Notably, Hemant had taken part in a mega rally organised by West Bengal CM and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee at the historic Brigade Parade Ground on January 19, 2019. Lalu’s son Tejaswi Yadav and former Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav were among the list of long participants present on the stage.
At that time, a political solidarity was shown among opposition parties and an informal nod was given for a non-BJP and non-Congress alliance. However, nothing materialised and BJP comfortably won the Lok Sabha polls later that year.
JMM had contested from many seats in the tribal-majority areas of West Bengal in the past too, but the results failed to paint a rosy picture for the party.