Ranchi: The entry of the JD(U) and the Left may pose a challenge to INDIA in Jharkhand as these two parties, which have no stake in the ruling coalition in the state, will also claim seats in the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in 2024.
The JD(U) currently has no MLA in the state, while the CPI-ML has only one MLA from among the Left parties.
The ruling coalition in the state consists of three parties — Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal. In the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections held in 2019, these three parties had distributed seats among themselves.
Now, if the newly formed ‘INDIA’ resolves to enter the electoral fray together in Jharkhand, the number of parties coming under the umbrella of the alliance will increase from three to five-six, and then the question of seat-sharing will become extremely challenging.
There are 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state, and it will be very difficult to work out a formula among the constituent parties of INDIA to distribute the seats. In the 2019 elections, an alliance of four parties — Congress, JMM, JVM and RJD — was formed here, and there was a huge tussle over seat sharing.
Within the alliance, the Congress got seven seats, the JMM four, Babulal Marandi’s Jharkhand Vikas Morcha two and the Rashtriya Janata Dal one. But the Rashtriya Janata Dal was not satisfied with getting only one seat, and had fielded its candidates on two seats — Palamu and Chatra.
This time, apart from the JMM, Congress and RJD, the JD(U) and Left parties will also stake claim on the Lok Sabha seats in the ‘INDIA’ alliance. Discussions have started on the sharing of seats in the meetings of these parties.
The Congress is planning to contest on nine Lok Sabha seats this time, while last time it fought on seven seats. The party says that in 2019, it had left two seats for Babulal Marandi’s party Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Democratic) under an internal agreement. Now the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha has merged with the BJP.
On the other hand, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha is preparing to stake claim on five to six seats, while last time it contested on four seats.
The RJD is also in a mood to reclaim at least two seats, while the alliance had agreed to give it only one seat last time.
The Left parties want at least one seat for themselves. They are keen to contest from the Hazaribagh seat, where the CPI’s Bhubneshwar Prasad Mehta was the MP in 2004. It is said that CPI national general secretary D. Raja has expressed his desire to contest from Hazaribagh this time.
The JD(U) leaders are also contemplating the prevailing political situation and would want a Lok Sabha seat within the alliance in Jharkhand. It is showing interest to stake claim on the Hazaribagh, Koderma and Giridih seats. For this, it will cite its old mass base and caste vote bank in the state. However, it is believed that the weightage given to the JD(U)’s claim will not be much.
The biggest tussle in the distribution of seats will be between the Congress and the JMM over the Chaibasa and Hazaribagh Lok Sabha seats. The Chaibasa seat is currently held by the Congress’s Geeta Koda. Despite this, the JMM is still claiming this seat. The district committee of the party has passed a resolution to this effect and sent it to the central committee.
The party’s argument is that the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha has MLAs in all the assembly seats except one in the district. That is, the JMM has a bigger mass base here than the Congress. Geeta Koda has lodged a protest against this demand of the JMM.
The last time the Congress had fielded a candidate on the Hazaribagh seat, it had to face defeat. This time the JMM is also presenting its claim here.
The squabbling between the Congress and the JMM has been clearly seen on many occasions in the state.
On August 9, a two-day grand event was organised at Birsa Munda Smriti Park in Ranchi by the Jharkhand government on World Tribal Day. Chief Minister Hemant Soren remained at the centre of the event, while all the Congress ministers stayed away. In fact, on August 9, the Congress organised a tribal gathering at Banhaura in Ranchi.
Congress national general secretary Avinash Pandey, former Union minister Subodhkant Sahai, Congress minister Banna Gupta, party’s state president Rajesh Thakur, working president Bandhu Tirkey and many leaders were present. Even before this, differences have been cropping up between the JMM and the Congress over many decisions of the government.
In 2024, along with the Lok Sabha, the assembly elections are also to be held in Jharkhand. In such a situation, while deciding any formula for the Lok Sabha seats here, the distribution of 81 seats in the Assembly will also be compulsorily discussed and then the differences may come to the fore.
–IANS
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