Jharkhand Assembly elections: NDA announces seat-sharing arrangement

BJP to contest in 68 seats, AJSU 10, JD(U) in two and Chirag Paswan’s LJP(RV) to contest on one seat

Jharkhand election would be completed in two phase with first phase of polling on November 13 and second phase of polling on November 20 whereas counting of votes take place on November 23.  | Photo Credit: The Hindu

National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Jharkhand made the formal announcement of seat sharing in which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest in 68 seats, the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) in 10 and the Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)] in two seats, while Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) [LJP(RV)] will contest in one seat.

The announcement was made during a joint press conference at the BJP office in Ranchi by Assam Chief Minister and co-in charge of Jharkhand elections, Himanta Biswa Sarma.

In-charge of the Jharkhand elections and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, BJP State unit president Babulal Marandi and AJSU president Sudhesh Mahato were present during the announcement.

The JD(U) has got Tamar and Jamshedpur West seats while the LJP(RV) got Chatra seat. The AJSU will contest in Silli, Ramgarh, Gomia, Icchagarh, Mandu, Jugsalai, Dumri, Pakur, Lohardaga and Manoharpur seats. Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi’s party Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) was left out.

“We are contesting this election as NDA under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi... There may be some changes according to the situation, but this is what we have discussed. Soon NDA partners will release the list of the candidates,” Mr. Sarma said while addressing the press.

The BJP has kept its Jamshedpur East seat, which was the contentious seat as Saryu Roy was keen on the contesting election from the same seat. He had won election last time as an independent candidate by defeating then Chief Minister Raghubar Das from Jamshedpur East.

Jamshedpur East seat is the stronghold of the BJP since 1995 and that’s the reason, Mr. Roy has been shifted to Jamshedpur West which has represented it twice as an BJP candidate in 2005 and 2014.

Jharkhand election would be completed in two phase with first phase of polling on November 13 and second phase of polling on November 20 whereas counting of votes take place on November 23. The nomination for the first phase commence on October 18.

Attacking the Hemant Soren government, Mr. Marandi said, “The people of Jharkhand has faced lot of difficulties, be it farmers, women, youths and other. We only have the motive to develop Jharkhand and give social security to everyone. I remember that Hemant Soren had sworn on the name of his father Shibu Soren that if he didn’t fulfill the promises he would retire. How, will people trust a man who swore on the name of his father but does nothing. He has cheated the people of Jharkhand.”

Asked about the list of the candidates, Mr. Sarma said, “Today, we have announced the seat-sharing which is very important. I hope that Central Election Committee would release the list of candidates along with Maharashtra by tomorrow or day after tomorrow.”

Mr. Sarma did not reply to the question when asked about NDA’s CM face saying that everyone is CM face including the people in media.