Hemant Soren meets Kharge, Rahul Gandhi in Delhi, discusses assembly poll strategy

Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren met Congress president Mallikarjuna Kharge and senior party leaders including Rahul Gandhi in the national Capital on Tuesday, amidst preparations for the upcoming assembly election, which is likely to be held in November along with the Maharashtra polls.

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)leader, along with his MLA wife Kalpana Soren, met Kharge at the latter’s residence and discussed strategy for the assembly elections and seat sharing, people aware of the development said.

“The elections are round the corner and there is a need to work out the strategy at the earliest, be it a uniform election campaign of INDIA bloc or seat sharing. In assembly election, JMM plays the lead role while Congress is the second lead partner besides the RJD, which is a junior but significant partner. Unlike 2019, there is a possibility that the Left could also be inducted in the grand INDIA bloc. Therefore, the consultations have begun on that count,” said a senior JMM leader.

In 2019 assembly elections, the JMM, Congress and the RJD had contested in a pre-poll alliance. For the House of 81, JMM got the lion’s share and contested 43 seats, Congress 31 seats while the RJD was in fray in seven constituencies. The JMM-Congress-RJD combine won a majority of 47, with the three parties winning 30, 16 and one seat, respectively.

Party insiders, however, say the seat sharing equation is likely to change as all three parties are eying more seats than the previous time. While the JMM is eying to take its tally by at least 3-4 seats, the Congress is set to stake claim on 33 seats, while the RJD has already staked claim on 22 constituencies.

Party leaders aware of the discussion said the parties could also swap a few seats due to the changed scenario and local factors.

“We would stake claim and would contest more seats this time. There are several reasons including the change in dynamics in the past five years. Our party under the chief minister has strengthened. Also there are some seats where a few Congress and RJD legislators and prominent faces could go to BJP. Those seats would be reassessed and winnability of candidates would become the criteria for allotment of the seat,” said a JMM leader.

The Congress, meanwhile, is eying at least 33 assembly constituencies, two more than 2019, even as it is preparing a list of possible party candidates in all 81 seats.

“We contested 31 seats last time. But two sitting legislators, Pradeep Yadav from JVM (P) and JP Patel from the BJP, eventually joined the party. Both are the main contenders for Poraiyahat and Mandu assembly seats. There are possibilities that a few seats could be swapped,” said a senior Congress leader.

The Congress has already appointed a three-member screening committee for candidate selection. The team visited Ranchi and took stock of the situation last week and the party invited applications from all 81 constituencies. Party insiders said over 2,500 applications have been received from across 81 seats.

“The applications have been invited from all across as the organisation is preparing across the state. Seats where we won’t contest, there the organisation and its leaders would work for the alliance candidates,” said Jharkhand Congress spokesperson Sonal Shanti.

The Lalu Prasad Yadav-led RJD has, meanwhile, already staked claims on 22 constituencies, 15 more than the previous time. “We are sticking to our demand. We have been with the alliance government and chief minister through all thick and thins. In the process we have also gained strength in the last five years. Once we had 11 MLAs in the state when it was bifurcated from Bihar. We have apprised our national leaders about the ground situation. It is up to them to take a call on it,” said Kailash Yadav, general secretary, Jharkhand RJD.

People familiar with the matter said party chief Lalu Parasd would be chairing a meeting of senior party leaders in Patna on Wednesday, in view of the Jharkhand assembly elections and Bihar polls next year. “Jharkhand in-charge JN Yadav would be part of the meeting,” a party leader said.

Meanwhile, the CPI (ML), which has one legislator in the incumbent fifth assembly, is also trying to be a part of the INDIA bloc as it was in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Sitting CPI (ML) legislator from Bagodar, Binod Singh, contested Koderma Lok Sabha as part of the alliance, but lost to BJP’s Annapurna Devi.

The Left leaders believe the merger of the Marxist Coordination Committee (MCC), founded by former parliamentarian AK Roy, with the CPI (ML) earlier this month, has strengthened their prospects.

Party leaders said the merger has made the CPI (ML) a formidable force in at least four seats in North Chhotanagpur division, including Bagodar and Dhanwar in Giridih and Nirsa and Sindri in Dhanbad coal belt, owing to the trade unions.